US Congress members call for financial sanctions against Ivanishvili
Sanctions against Ivanishvili
Members of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the US Helsinki Commission, have published a letter addressed to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, calling for individual financial sanctions against Georgian oligarch and founder of the ruling party “Georgian Dream,” Bidzina Ivanishvili, and his associates.
The letter mentions that Bidzina Ivanishvili “has become a particular target of criticism due to Georgia’s deviation from the European path and increasingly authoritarian governance.”
This letter, dated July 26, was shared on social media by Foreign Press correspondent Alex Raufoglu.
The letter was signed by congressmen from both the Democratic and Republican parties: Joe Wilson, Steve Cohen, Richard Hudson, and Marc Veasey. They urge Blinken to take “more rapid and decisive action” regarding Georgia.
The letter states that, given the current political situation in Georgia, visa restrictions alone against members of the Georgian government are insufficient. It calls for financial measures targeting the “key nods of corruption and malign influence” — Bidzina Ivanishvili and his inner circle, as these individuals should not be allowed to undermine the will and freedom of the Georgian people.
The letter describes the “Georgian Dream” as an “authoritarian and anti-democratic government” from which the Georgian people urgently need protection.
“The pace and severity of events on the ground suggest to us that more needs to be done urgently to protect the Georgian population. … It must be made clear that the principal agents of corruption and malign influence in or in league with anti-Western elements in Georgia will not be free to pray on the Georgian people and attack its democracy at will,” the letter states.
The letter also mentions “fraudulent call centers” operating worldwide, which, according to the congressmen, are sources of shadow money for the “Georgian Dream” and serve to harass and intimidate civil society representatives, activists, opposition members, and their families. The congressmen also suggest that these call centers are a link between corrupt individuals in Georgia and their “like-minded” counterparts in Russia.
“We believe it is urgently imperative for the State Department, in cooperation with U.S. and law friendly foreign law enforcement agencies, to take swift, immediate and systematic action against these call center networks and other such efforts internationally to destroy or disrupt their operations,” the congressmen assert.
The letter notes that the requested sanctions are fully aligned with the “MEGOBARI” bill. This bill, authored by Congressman Joe Wilson, proposes sanctions against political leaders and government officials of the “Georgian Dream,” as well as restrictions on business representatives and members of law enforcement and security services in Georgia.
“This legislation would help bolster democratic practices, human rights and the rule of law in Georgia, and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to supporting Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and countering the influence of authoritarian regimes, particularly Russia,” the authors of the letter conclude.
Details about the MEGOBARI Act
On July 11, the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs voted in favor of the MEGOBARI Act in response to Georgia’s adoption of the “foreign agents” law, which Western partners believe hinders Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and democratic progress.
In addition to sanctions against individuals responsible for the adoption of the “foreign agents” law, the MEGOBARI Act promises increased support for Georgia if it “strengthens its democratic and Western course.”
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Main provisions of the MEGOBARI Act
- Support for democracy and rule of law: The Act declares the policy of the United States to protect democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law in Georgia. It acknowledges the significant progress made by Georgian civil society and emphasizes the importance of consolidating democracy for regional stability and U.S. interests.
- Combating democratic backsliding: In response to the recent decline in democracy in Georgia, the Act calls for increased scrutiny of the actions of the Georgian government and its ties with Russia and other authoritarian regimes.
- Accountability and sanctions: The Act mandates the enforcement of accountability.
- Creation of a democracy monitoring task force: A task force will be established to monitor and develop the democratic environment in Georgia, especially during elections, to ensure fair and free electoral processes.
- Strengthening bilateral relations and support: Upon confirmation of significant democratic progress in Georgia, the Act outlines further U.S. assistance, including economic and defense support (to counter Russian aggression), more favorable trade agreements, and visa facilitation.
In a conversation with journalists on July 31, Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized the “MEGOBARI Act,” calling it based on blackmail and counterproductive.
“Speaking the language of blackmail is incorrect, especially concerning a government that has fundamentally changed the situation created in this country by a government supported from abroad [referring to the government of Mikheil Saakashvili — JAMnews].”
“Instead of blackmail and threats, we should have a healthy conversation about restoring relations,” Kobakhidze stated, adding that the topic of sanctions does not interest him at all.
