US imposes visa restrictions on individuals involved in undermining democracy in Georgia

The US Department of State has announced new visa restrictions targeting individuals responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia. The sanctions will apply to approximately 20 people, specifically government ministers, members of parliament, law enforcement and security officials and private citizens. Source: a statement by Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State

Quote: "The United States strongly condemns the Georgian Dream party's ongoing, brutal, and unjustified violence against Georgian citizens, including protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures.

Georgian Dream has turned away from Georgia's Euro-Atlantic future, which the Georgian people overwhelmingly desire and the Georgian constitution envisions."

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Details: Miller announced the preparation of new sanctions aimed at holding accountable those who undermine the country's democracy. "Our actions today demonstrate US resolve and add to previously announced actions implicating more than 100 Georgian Dream-affiliated individuals and their family members," the statement said.

Background:

  • Earlier, media reports indicated that US President Joe Biden's administration had announced new sanctions, including visa restrictions for Georgian officials and their families.
  • President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the West has not reacted decisively enough to the situation in Georgia and Russia's efforts to establish control over the country.
  • Media reports suggested that the EU is considering suspending visa liberalisation for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports.
  • The Baltic states and Ukraine imposed national sanctions against a number of Georgian officials, including Bidzina Ivanishvili, a pro-Russian Georgian oligarch and an Honorary Chairman of the Georgian Dream.
  • Pawel Herczynski, the EU ambassador to Georgia, said that preparatory work on sanctions against the Georgian authorities is already underway in Brussels.

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