GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze says concerns over migration in Georgia are justified and should be welcomed. In a video released by the government administration, he addressed public debates about the number of foreigners living in the country and emphasized that protecting national and religious identity is a priority for many citizens.
According to preliminary census data, Georgia’s population stands at 3.91 million, of which up to 257,000, or 6.6%, are foreigners, including those living in the country illegally. Kobakhidze noted that while final data will be released later, border-crossing statistics already give a clear indication of the overall picture.
He highlighted that around 70% of foreigners in Georgia come from post-Soviet states, the EU, the U.S., and Israel, with at least 40,000 being former Georgian citizens or individuals with Georgian surnames. Turkish nationals make up 7.4% of foreigners, and Iranians 3.7%, meaning their combined share in the total population is just 0.7%.
Kobakhidze dismissed political speculation about large numbers of migrants from countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait, noting that Georgia has almost no migrants from these states. He argued that factual data contradicts narratives circulating in domestic political debates and urged greater public awareness of real migration trends.
