Bill to Repatriate Meskhetians Given Final Approval

The Georgian parliament approved a draft law on the repatriation of Meskhetians on its third and final hearing by 117 votes to 19, on July 11.

Survivors or descendants of those Meskhetians who were deported by Joseph Stalin from southern Georgia in 1944 will have one year, starting, January 1, 2008, in which to apply for repatriation.

The draft law does not oblige the Georgian authorities to provide any financial support to the returnees.

Applicants will be required to submit papers to prove they, or their descendents, were actually deported from Georgia in 1944.

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