The United States has announced visa restrictions for Georgian government officials and a comprehensive review of bilateral relations with Tbilisi over a "foreign agent" law recently pushed through by the ruling Georgian Dream party despite weeks of mass protests.
The law, formally called the Foreign Influence Transparency Act, is thought to mirror a similar repressive measure the Kremlin has introduced in Russia, threatening the country's path to European Union (EU) integration and bringing it closer to Moscow.
It was condemned by the United States and the European Union, saying it was "incompatible" with Georgia's long-standing bid for membership.
"The State Department is implementing a new visa restriction policy for Georgia that will apply to individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia, as well as their family members," US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement, adding that restrictions also apply to those responsible for "suppressing civil society and freedom of peaceful assembly in Georgia through a campaign of violence or intimidation".
Critics say the law was introduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party, founded by Russia-friendly Georgian tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili, to consolidate party power ahead of elections later this year seen as crucial to Georgia's Euro-Atlantic path.
"Anyone who undermines democratic processes or institutions in Georgia, including before, during, and after Georgia's October 2024 elections, may be considered ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy and barred from traveling to the United States. Family members of such individuals may also be subject to these restrictions," Blinken said.
The statement did not name any person who could be sanctioned under the new restrictions.
Washington has consistently supported Georgia's western integration, and Blinken said he was launching a "comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia."
"American support for Georgian democracy is long-standing and fundamental to our bilateral relationship," Blinken said, warning that the United States would continue to monitor the moves of the Georgian government.
"As we consider the relationship between our two countries, we will take into account Georgia's actions in making our own decisions," he said, adding: "It remains our hope that Georgia's leaders will reconsider the draft law and take steps to move forward with their democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the nation."
Under the measure, which sparked weeks of protests that were violently suppressed by authorities, media and non-governmental organizations will have to register as "following the interests of a foreign power" if they receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.
Georgia was granted candidate status for EU membership on December 14, but has not yet begun accession negotiations, which could last for years. Georgians were also given the green light to abolish visas in the Schengen area in March 2017.
The ruling Georgian Dream party insisted that it remained committed to joining Western institutions, and the law was only supposed to increase the transparency of NGO funding.
President Salome Zurabishvili, who has been at odds with the government, vetoed the law on May 18, but the Georgian Dream-controlled parliament has enough votes to override it.
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