Mikheil Saakashvili met with the representatives of Diaspora living in various countries at the Presidential Palace today provided them with identification documents giving them the status of compatriots. Mikheil Saakashvili also addressed and familiarized them with the initiative, which envisions forming a The World Assembly of Georgia.

“It is imperative that the government of Georgia and the current generation does not lose ties with compatriots living abroad. This is especially true of the generations, which have been born and raised abroad. This is why it is important for us to legalize dual citizenship, and in the countries where dual citizenship cannot be obtained because of various subjective reasons or decisions, we should provide the identification documents granting status of compatriots. More representatives of the multi-ethnic Georgian nation live abroad than within our country because of various historic conditions. This is a result of emigration to nearby countries in the 90s. In recent years, more people are returning to Georgia than leaving and this is the baggage of past years and centuries. On one hand these people are a great loss for us, but on the other hand they are a huge strength. This is why we would like to improve on the strength of these people. For this reason we are opening Sunday schools everywhere. The Georgian Church is helping us tremendously in this regard, because in many places Sunday schools are being opened near churches and we assist them. We are also opening and organizing Diaspora meeting places everywhere. Additionally, we have decided to elect a representative council of Georgian compatriots and Georgians – The World Assembly of Georgia, where representatives will be elected and will have voting power. We are going to build the headquarters in Tbilisi, by which our compatriots will be able to reach Georgia from the entire world, and from the place where Georgians will reach rest of the world. The World Assembly of Georgians – the new representative body, will gather in Georgia and be represented in Georgia. We will organize it. I hope several months will be enough time to hold first elections of The World Assembly of Georgians, invite the founding congress, and hold the first session here. I would like to give you these documents. They are the color of diplomatic passports, and this is symbolic because each one of you is truly an ambassador of Georgia” – stated the President of Georgia while meeting with the foreign compatriots.

Mikheil Saakashvili spoke with them in details about the rights and privileges the document grants its bearers.

The identification proving the status of compatriots living abroad represents a document which can be granted to persons living abroad with the status of compatriots, based on the “Georgian Law about Compatriots and Members of Diaspora Organizations”. The holders of these documents have certain rights and privileges. Namely, they can work in the public service sector based on a labor contract; if a person is a citizen of a country, citizens of which need visas to enter Georgia, that person does not need a visa to stay in Georgia; is eligible to receive secondary and higher education in Georgia by state financing; compatriots living in Georgia can participate in the target programs organized for the Diaspora; additionally, with the consent of an international federation in the relevant sport category, they can participate in international tournaments representing Georgia as members of the Georgian National Team.