US Says Georgia does not Comply Minimum Standards to Fight Trafficking
(Tbilisi, June 12 2003, Civil Georgia) – The US Department of State’s report on Trafficking in Persons issued on June 11 says “the Government of Georgia does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and it is not making significant efforts to do so.”
“Governments that are not making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with the minimum standards face potential sanctions that include loss of certain types of US assistance. Such sanctions would be effective October 1 and subject to possible waiver,” the report reads.
According to the report Georgia is a source country for women trafficked primarily to Turkey, Greece, and the United Arab Emirates, with smaller numbers trafficked to Israel, Spain, Portugal and the United States for purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and forced labor.
“While the government made some efforts to strengthen law enforcement coordination, and advanced closer to amending its criminal legislation, its efforts were unorganized and lagged behind those of NGOs,” the report reads.
The report says that the government conducted few preventive efforts; the National Action Plan issued by the President in 2003 envisages a number of preventive activities yet to be implemented.
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