Four MEPs call for sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the oligarch and leader of Georgia's ruling party
The European Parliament demands sanctions against Ivanishvili
On December 5, four Members of the European Parliament issued a joint statement regarding “the escalation of repression by the Georgian government against the democratic opposition and the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters,” demanding targeted sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The statement was signed by David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee; Nils Ušakovs, Chair of the EU-Georgia Interparliamentary Association Committee delegation; Sergey Lagodinsky, Chair of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly delegation; and Rasa Juknevičienė, the Committee’s rapporteur on Georgia.
“We condemn the escalating repressions by the Georgian authorities against the democratic opposition and excessive use of force against peaceful protesters. Arrests of opponents and searches of offices are part of the toolbox of authoritarian regimes and have no place in a country with EU membership aspirations.
Georgian Dream is directly responsible for the continuous democratic backsliding and the dramatic shift of the country away from its European path, contrary to the will of the vast majority of the people. Ongoing protests across the country are a legitimate expression of the wide-spread concern about the future of Georgia under the current leadership.
We call on the EU and its member states to introduce personal sanctions against all those political leaders of the Georgian Dream who are responsible for the reported election irregularities and subsequent repressions against Georgian citizens protesting on the streets.
Furthermore, we recall our demand to introduce targeted sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is the person ultimately politically responsible for the wave of repressions and the suspension of the European integration process.
Georgia needs a re-run of the rigged elections, which would be conducted in an improved electoral environment by an independent and impartial election administration, under diligent international observation, ensuring a genuinely fair and transparent process.
We express our full support to President Salome Zourabichvili, who remains a steadfast defender of democracy and European integration of Georgia. The European Parliament stands with the brave people of Georgia and their choice for a European future.”
Earlier, U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Joe Wilson called for sanctions against Ivanishvili, other members of the Georgian Dream party, and high-ranking officials. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stated that the United States is preparing to use available tools, including sanctions.
On December 1, the Baltic states — Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia — jointly imposed sanctions on Ivanishvili and the leadership of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
