"Georgian Dream no longer hides love for Russia" - US Congressman

Congressman Kinzinger responds to Kobakhidze

“Georgian Dream no longer even hides its love for Russia, which is very sad,” US Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger said.

This was his response on Twitter to Irakli Kobakhidze on the latter’s remarks about Georgia and sanctioned goods making their way to Russia.

As Kobakhidze said, when influential media “spread lies of such magnitude” directed against the Georgian state, this is a problem; but an even more serious problem is that the Georgian radical opposition and its media are also spreading these lies.

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CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about circumventing sanctions against Russia, citing Georgia as an example: “You have already approved several packages of sanctions against Russia. However, we understand, and probably you also know, that many prohibited goods still enter Russia by detours, including, according to the latest information, through Georgia. How to make sure that Russia, which is under sanctions, can no longer get what it needs?

In response, the President of the European Commission said that attempts to circumvent the sanctions imposed against Russia are unacceptable.

“Yes, we have already introduced nine packages of sanctions, and they affect the Russian economy. Although we see that there are attempts to circumvent them. And of course we can’t stand it. We need to start compiling a list of people who buy goods in the EU and bring them to Russia, although the goal of the tenth package of sanctions will be to close these loopholes, close bypass routes and include those who help to circumvent sanctions. The tenth package deals with just that,” said von der Leyen.

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On January 15, The New York Times published an article by Ivan Nechepurenko about goods being imported to Russia in spite of sanctions.

As the author explains, Georgia has become a convenient logistical hub between Russia and the outside world, and that the importing of goods through Georgia and neighboring countries such as Armenia and Azerbaijan has helped Russia survive the economic downturn caused by its invasion of Ukraine.

Congressman Kinzinger responds to Kobakhidze