Tbilisi, Georgia
So many criminals were forging Georgian identity documents that the country is issuing new, more sophisticated passports to foil them. But to get a new passport, Georgian citizens may have to pay a bribe. There’s a two-month wait for the new passports, leaving thousands of Georgians who want to leave the country on vacation stranded at the border. Officials blame production problems for the delays. But residents say that for a $100 bribe, government officials will provide a passport in a single day. One woman reported paying $500 to expedite the process. That’s a lot of money in Georgia, where the average income is $30 a month. “When there’s a deficit, scoundrels will show up,” said one government official. “It probably happens sometimes.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Selfies ban in art galleries: a sign of the times?Talking Point Priceless art has been damaged by visitors desperate to take a snap with star attractions, leading some galleries and museums to start fighting back
-
Quiz of The Week: 21 – 27 JuneHave you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The Week Unwrapped: How do you turn plastics into paracetamol?Podcast Plus, what is the Wagner Group doing now? And why is it so hard to find a job after university?
