Antony Blinken: The democratic backsliding of Georgia deeply concerning - there is a clear unity between the US, France and many other countries

Having seen that backsliding, having seen a government that's acting in contravention of the clear will of the people that it purports to represent, having seen an election that raised many questions, having seen repressive actions taken by the government against people who are trying to speak freely and openly, we, as well as our partners, have taken action, - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Paris at a joint press conference with the French Foreign Minister.

According to him, there is a clear unity between the US, France and many other countries that are “faced with the very, very unfortunate actions of the government of Georgia.”

“As for Georgia. We talked about this as well. Both France and the United States have seen democratic backsliding that's deeply concerning, and not just democratic backsliding, but a retreat away from the aspirations of the overwhelming majority of the Georgian people, the aspiration to build a future that is closer and closer to Europe. So having seen that backsliding, having seen a government that's acting in contravention of the clear will of the people that it purports to represent, having seen an election that raised many questions, having seen repressive actions taken by the government against people who are trying to speak freely and openly, we, as well as our partners, have taken action. We sanctioned the leader of the Georgian Dream, Ivanishvili, as well as other members of the government, we suspended American assistance to the Georgian government, acting together with almost all of our partners in the OSCE, including France. We invoked the Vienna mechanism through the OSCE, to also make clear that the steps that have been taken, including legislation that profoundly squeezes the space for freedom of expression and freedom of action by civil society, that has to change. So I think you see a clear unity of purpose when it comes to the United States, France, many other countries faced with the very, very unfortunate actions of the government of Georgia”, Blinken said.