The United States is introducing visa restrictions and beginning a “comprehensive review” of relations with Georgia through the “foreign agents” law. This was announced by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
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The issuance of visas will be limited to persons “responsible for or involved in undermining democracy in Georgia,” as well as members of their families. He says the law suppresses free speech and interferes with independent media. Blinken previously called the law “rewritten from a Russian textbook.”
The document has also been repeatedly condemned in Europe. The European Commission called on the Georgian authorities to refuse to accept it. Georgian President Zurabishvili vetoed the law. However, Georgian Dream has enough votes in parliament to overcome it.
It is May 28 that could become a turning point in relations between Georgia and the West. On this day, the parliamentary majority from the ruling Georgian Dream party plans to override the veto that President Salome Zurabishvili imposed on the law “On Transparency of External Influence.” So says Michael Carpenter, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, in an interview with Voice of America.
For his part, American Congressman Joe Wilson has prepared a bill to impose sanctions against deputies from the Georgian Dream.
In addition, it is possible that on May 27, during a meeting in Brussels, the foreign ministers of the EU countries will give the European Commission a recommendation to introduce visa and financial sanctions against those who developed and adopted the scandalous law.
Among the options are the termination of the visa-free regime with the EU for Georgian citizens and the termination of funding for various projects in Georgia through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
German Ambassador to Tbilisi Peter Fischer said on May 22 in an interview with Georgian journalists that his country “will not support the start of negotiations on full membership” of Georgia in the EU.
However, the Georgian authorities are not going to make concessions, despite increasingly harsh warnings coming from European capitals and Washington.
Speaking about the threat of personal sanctions, Georgian Dream deputies make it clear that they are not particularly concerned about this.
In a statement, the political council of the ruling party called the latest conclusion of the Venice Commission politicized, unreasoned and manipulative.
The Secretary General of the Georgian Dream and the Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, followed even further.
Commenting on the conclusion of the constitutional body of the Council of Europe, he accused the West of seeking to open a second front against Russia on Georgian territory:
If they want to open a second front, then let them open it in their Baltic countries, and leave Georgia alone.
Kaladze called the West’s attitude towards Georgia unfriendly, mentioning “the demand for Saakashvili’s resignation.”
At the same time, the head of the European Council, Michel, called the Georgian President’s vetoing of the law on “foreign agents” a “window of opportunity.”
President Salome Zurabishvili’s veto of the law provides an opportunity for further discussion. In its current form, the law does not correspond to the values and path of the EU. I call on all Georgian politicians and leaders to seize this window of opportunity and ensure that Georgia remains on the European path supported by the people. “I continue to closely monitor developments in Georgia,” Michel wrote.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.