TBILISI, November 6 – Tensions grew between Georgia’s government and U.S. lawmakers this week as a senior member of Congress accused Georgia’s ruling party of undermining American security interests by handing control of its key Black Sea port to Chinese state-linked companies and persecuting Western investors. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson accused Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream … Read more
TBILISI, September 20 – Georgia’s parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili has strongly rejected a new sanctions package proposed in the U.S. Congress. The so-called “Georgian Nightmare Act” was adopted as a proposed addition to the National Defense Authorization Act by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and would instruct officials not to take any action or allocate funds … Read more
TBILISI, September 17 – Leaders of Georgia’s biggest opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), met in Washington with U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson today to renew efforts to lobby for the MEGOBARI Act, a sanctions bill targeting ruling-party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili. UNM chair Tina Bokuchava, secretary general Petre Tsiskarishvili, and senior figure Levan Sanikidze launched … Read more
TBILISI, September 11 – A senior Georgian official has welcomed news that a controversial U.S. bill targeting the country’s government is unlikely to pass in the Senate, while fiercely criticizing opposition figures who testified against Georgia in Washington. The stalled MEGOBARI Act would increase U.S. sanctions on Georgia if democratic backsliding continued, while offering defense … Read more
TBILISI, August 28 – Georgia is facing international criticism after a Tbilisi court froze the bank accounts of seven major civil society groups, citing an ongoing investigation into alleged “sabotage” and material support for violent unrest. Prosecutors say the NGOs helped fund protective gear and supplies for demonstrators during last year’s clashes outside parliament, framing … Read more