The United States remains deeply concerned with the Georgia Dream party’s anti-democratic actions as well as its recent statements and rhetoric. These actions risk derailing Georgia’s European future and run counter to the Georgia – Georgian constitution and the wishes of its people. Secretary Blinken recently announced a comprehensive review of all bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia. As part of that review, the department implemented a new visa restriction policy to address these actions under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act- Matthew Miller, Spokesperson for the US Department of State, said at the briefing.
Today, under this policy, we are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on dozens of Georgian individuals. This includes individuals responsible for or complicit in and immediate family members of those responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia, such as by undermining freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, violently attacking peaceful protestors, intimidating civil society representatives, and deliberately spreading disinformation at the direction of the Georgian Government.
This first tranche of visa restrictions comprises members of the Georgian Dream party, members of parliament, law enforcement, and private citizens. It remains our hope that Georgia’s leaders will reconsider their actions and take steps to move forward with their nations long-stated democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. But if they do not, the United States is prepared to take additional actions.
«I can’t give you specific names. It’s not – I know it’s not the exact question, but just as a reminder to everyone that visa records are confidential under law, so I’m not able to say with any degree of specificity. But as I said in the statement, we’ve looked at the people who have taken actions to spread disinformation, who have taken actions to undermine democracy, to violently attack peaceful protestors, and intimidate civil society representatives. And as I said, this is just the first step in our series of actions. And I should note that the actions that we are prepared to take are not just necessarily related to these new sanctions that we are posing. We also said that we are undertaking a full review of our relationship with the Government of Georgia»- Matthew Miller said.
