The United States for the first time imposed sanctions against representatives of the judicial authorities of Georgia.
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Sanctions were imposed against Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia and Valerian Tsertsvadze. The sanctions include visa restrictions for them and their families, said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
These individuals abused their positions as chairmen of courts and members of the High Council of Justice of Georgia, undermining the rule of law and public confidence in the Georgian judiciary, Blinken said.
The head of the Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia, commenting on these US sanctions, said that “this is the last warning to the Georgian oligarch Bidzini Ivanishvili, who is crossing all red lines, illegally controlling the Georgian authorities.
I would like to remind you that we have provided information about Ivanishvili’s immediate business environment, which, through its structures, helps the Russians bypass the sanctions. I think that in the near future we can expect news in this direction as well, the parliamentarian stressed.
Last week, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili accused the executive branch and the parliamentary majority of trying to change the country’s political course.
No matter how you try to convince our people that Europe is contrary to our national interests and values, you will not be able to achieve your goal,” Zurabishvili said, speaking in parliament with her annual report on Georgia’s domestic and foreign policy.
The President noted that the real change in the political course began in 2021, when the then head of the Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, left Georgian politics.
Recall, on March 7, the Georgian Parliament adopted in the first reading the draft law “On the transparency of foreign influence.”
This document, if it were approved, would introduce in the country a register of so-called foreign agents – non-profit legal organizations and the media, which are financed from abroad by more than 20%.
The bill, which is called a copy of the Russian law on foreign agents, has caused mass protests. Police violently dispersed the protesters using tear gas and water cannons, detaining at least 66 people.
The European Commission warned the Georgian government: if the law is adopted, it will put an end to the country’s European integration.
The crisis in Georgia and a noticeable cooling of its relations with the EU and the US have been going on for several years. Ivanishvili’s ruling Georgian Dream party is increasingly using anti-Western rhetoric and leaning towards cooperation with Russia.
Source: Racurs
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