The US sanctions the former prime minister of Georgia for "undermining democracy"

2024-12-27 20:38:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The US sanctions the former prime minister of Georgia for "undermining

The United States announced that it has imposed sanctions on Russian-friendly billionaire, former prime minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, for undermining Georgia's democracy for "the benefit of the Russian Federation."

"Under Ivanishvili's leadership, the Georgian Dream has advanced the Kremlin's interests by diverting Georgia's Euro-Atlantic trajectory - in direct opposition to what was dreamed up by the people and the Constitution of Georgia," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on 27 December.

Blinken added that "the actions of Ivanishvili and the Georgian Dream have destroyed democratic institutions, enabled the violation of human rights and limited the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia".

"We strongly condemn the actions of Georgian Dream under the leadership of Ivanishvili, including the ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, human rights activists and opposition figures," the statement said.

The sanctions mean that transactions of entities owned by Ivanishvili will be blocked, according to the announcement.

On December 12, the United States announced that it would "suspend the issuance of visas to those responsible for, or involved in, undermining democracy in Georgia."

The sanctions affect about 20 people, "including individuals who serve as government ministers and in Parliament, law enforcement and security officials, as well as private citizens," the announcement continued, without naming the individuals.

Georgia, once a close US ally, has angered Washington and the European Union by showing apparent closeness to Russia and violently repressing its opponents in the country.

The sanctions come at a crucial time, as Georgia's fate is in question - whether it will continue to move closer to Moscow, return to the pro-European path, or remain in an environment of turmoil and uncertainty.

Police in Tbilisi have clashed with pro-Western protesters in recent weeks, arresting dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the Georgian Dream party government of taking the country off the path to the European Union and bringing it closer to Moscow.

The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October's parliamentary elections, which the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said were marred by cases of vote-buying, double voting, physical violence and intimidation.

The protests grew following a government decision last month to postpone Georgia's EU membership talks.

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on December 24 called for an investigation into Georgian security forces' "brutal police violence" against mostly peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for large anti-government demonstrations.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili - who has split from the Government and backed the protesters - on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29.

Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by the Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president.

He is expected to take office on December 29, although 72-year-old Salome Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she will not vacate the position./REL