Washington Sanctions Founder of Georgia’s Ruling Party for ‘Undermining’ Democracy
Bidzina Ivanishvili. X/ @JAMnewsCaucasus
December 27, 2024 Hour: 1:50 pm
The U.S. considers that Bidzina Ivanishvili undermines Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future to the benefit of Russia.
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that his country has imposed sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party.
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The U.S. diplomat stated that the sanctions were issued for “undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of that country to the benefit of Russia.”
As is often the case with U.S. statements about those who do not align with its policies, Blinken claimed that Ivanishvili and the GD party have allowed human rights abuses and restricted the exercise of fundamental freedoms.
“His actions have derailed Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future, a future overwhelmingly desired by the Georgian people and mandated by the Georgian Constitution,” he added.
Previously, the Georgian opposition had called on the European Union to impose sanctions and declare the government led by Georgian Dream since 2012 “illegitimate.” In September, the Georgian government froze negotiations on the country’s accession to the European Union until 2030.
On Monday, the GD party, which won the parliamentary elections on October 26, rejected calls to repeat the elections, whose results are not recognized by the U.S.-backed opposition leader Salome Zurabishvili.
As a result of the sanctions, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s properties and assets located abroad are now frozen. Additionally, Americans are prohibited from conducting transactions involving those assets.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE