Italian parties call on government to sanction Georgian Dream
Italian sanctions against Georgian Dream
Italian parties Italia Viva, Azione, Partito Democratico, Forza Italia, and several individual senators have submitted a resolution to the Italian Senate calling on the government to condemn the repressive actions of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s regime and impose sanctions on representatives and supporters of Georgian Dream.
The resolution calls on the government to:
- Condemn the Georgian Dream government and urge it to immediately cease its brutal repression of peaceful protesters, political opponents, and media representatives;
- Refuse to recognise the self-proclaimed Georgian Dream government, which came to power through elections held on 26 October 2024 in violation of democratic standards;
- Reject the legitimacy of the one-party parliament led by Georgian Dream and the president appointed by the ruling party, and call on the international community to join the boycott of Georgia’s self-proclaimed government;
- Refrain from any political or institutional cooperation with the Ivanishvili regime on issues of regional and global interest, even within the framework of diplomatic relations;
- Call for new parliamentary elections in Georgia in the coming months in a fair electoral environment — under the oversight of an independent and impartial electoral commission and close international monitoring, to ensure a just, free, and transparent process;
- Impose immediate bilateral personal sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili — the figure responsible for the country’s democratic backsliding — as well as members of his family and companies, following the example of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, the US, and the UK;
- Impose immediate personal sanctions against Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili and her deputies: Lasha Darsalia, Vladimir Konstantinidis, Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili, and Khatuna Totladze — as well as against Georgian ambassadors to EU countries;
- Introduce personal sanctions on Georgian officials and political leaders responsible for democratic repression, election fraud, human rights violations, and persecution of political opponents and activists, including Irakli Kobakhidze, Shalva Papuashvili, Vakhtang Gomelauri, Kakha Kaladze, and Irakli Garibashvili;
- Extend sanctions to judges, including members of Georgia’s Constitutional Court, who issue politically motivated rulings; law enforcement officers; financial intermediaries who secretly or openly support the regime; and media owners linked to the regime — such as Imedi, POSTV, and Rustavi 2 — for spreading disinformation and manipulating public opinion to maintain the ruling party’s authoritarian grip;
- Sanction Bidzina Ivanishvili’s intermediaries: members of the elite, corrupt financial operators, propagandists, and supporters of the state repressive apparatus. Among them are Ekaterine Khvedelidze, Uta Ivanishvili, Tsotne Ivanishvili, Beru Ivanishvili, Gvantsa Ivanishvili, Aleksandre Ivanishvili, Shmagi Kobakhidze, Ucha Mamatsashvili, Natia Turnava, Ivane Chkhartishvili, Sulkhan Papashvili, Giorgi Kapanadze, Tornike Rizhvadze, Ilia Tsulaia, Kakhaber Bekauri, Lasha Natsvlishvili, Vasil Maglapheridze, Grigol Liluashvili, Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Rukhadze, Tinatin Berdzenishvili, Tamaz Gaiashvili, Anton Obolashvili, and Gocha Enukidze;
- Ensure the adoption of equivalent sanctions at the EU level.
A list of individuals targeted for sanctions by Italian parties and independent senators has been made public. The proposed personal sanctions include Bidzina Ivanishvili, his family members and companies; Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili and her deputies; Georgian ambassadors to EU countries; Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze; Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze; Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili; Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri; former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili; as well as the owners of the TV channels Imedi, POSTV, and Rustavi 2.
