The US has suspended $95m in assistance to Georgia over the foreign agents law passed by Tbilisi.
The Georgian parliament passed the legislation in May, overriding a veto by the President.
The law requires media and nongovernmental organizations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
Critics say that it closely resembles legislation the Kremlin used to silence opponents and that it will obstruct Georgia’s bid to join the EU.
Announcing the halt in aid, U.S Secretary of state, Antony Blinken said in a statement, “On May 23, after anti-democratic actions by the Georgian government, I announced a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia.”
“As a result of that review, the United States is pausing more than $95 million in assistance that directly benefits the Government of Georgia,” the top US diplomat noted.
“The Georgian government’s anti-democratic actions and false statements are incompatible with membership norms in the EU and NATO,” Blinken added.
Georgia’s relations with the US, as well as with the EU, turned sour in the wake of the foreign agents law passed by the Georgian parliament in May.
The US has also already imposed visa bans on a number of Georgian politicians and law enforcement officials for suppressing free speech, particularly voices in favor of Georgia’s integration with the west.
Despite the suspension, Blinken said that the US would continue to fund programs in Georgia that promote democracy, the rule of law, independent media and economic development.
“We will remain committed to the Georgian people and their Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” he said.
Blinken recalled that over the years of Georgia’s independence, Washington has provided Tbilisi with “over $6.2 billion in assistance, contributing to the development and strengthening of Georgia’s economy and democratic institutions.”
Georgian Prime Minister Criticizes Possibility Of More Sanctions Imposed On His Country
Also on Wednesday, Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze labeled as blackmail the remarks of US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O’Brien about the possibility of slapping more sanctions on that South Caucasian country.
This came as the United States is considering new sanctions against Georgian officials and politicians and the situation in Georgia was discussed at a hearing in the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
O’Brien, following the hearing, named three main issues: the parliamentary elections in October, the law on foreign agents and the arrival of Chinese investors in the project to build a deep-water port in Anaklia.
The Georgian Prime Minister was reported as reminding the United States that when former President Mikhail Saakashvili’s government was in office from 2004 to 2012, human rights were violated in the country, but at that time Washington imposed no sanctions, but on the contrary, cooperated with Saakashvili’s authorities.
Kobakhidze urged Washington not to threaten Georgia with sanctions.
“Such a tone from the United States is counterproductive,” he said.
“We are fully ready to reset relations with the United States. Over the past three or four years, a lot has gone wrong in this relationship. We expect fair, pragmatic and friendly steps.”
Irakli Kobakhidze
“Instead of blackmail and threats, we should have a healthy conversation,” Kobakhidze asserted.
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