The European Parliament has adopted a strongly worded resolution on Georgia, urging the European Union to impose sanctions on individuals linked to the ruling Georgian Dream party. The motion was backed by 400 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), with 63 voting against and 81 abstaining.
In the resolution, MEPs call on the Council of the European Union and member states to introduce sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of Georgian Dream, along with his close associates, financial backers, and those accused of supporting a “repressive state apparatus.”
The resolution includes an expanded list of individuals whom MEPs believe should be subject to EU sanctions. The names include:
Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family – wife Ekaterine Khvedelidze, children Uta, Tsotne, Bera, and Gvantsa Ivanishvili; brother Aleksandre Ivanishvili; niece Shmagi Kobakhidze; uncle Ucha Mamatsashvili.
Officials and Business Figures – President of the National Bank of Georgia Natia Turnava, businessmen Vano Chkhartishvili, Sulkhan Papashvili, Giorgi Kapanadze (“Rizha”).
Government Representatives – Tornike Rizhvadze (Chairman of the Government of Adjara), Ilia Tsulaia (businessman and politician), Kakha Bekauri (Chairman of the Communications Commission), Lasha Natsvlishvili (politician and journalist).
Media and Judiciary Figures – Vasil Maghlaperidze (Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Public Broadcaster), Tinatin Berdzenishvili (Director General of the Public Broadcaster), Judges Mikheil Chinchaladze and Levan Murusidze.
Security and Business Leaders – Grigol Liluashvili (Head of the State Security Service), Irakli Rukhadze (co-owner of Imedi TV and Liberty Bank), Tamaz Gaiashvili (owner of Georgian Airways), Anton Obolashvili and Gocha Enukidze (businessmen and politicians).
In addition, MEPs reiterated calls for sanctions against key political figures, including Bidzina Ivanishvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, and former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
Before the vote, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze dismissed the resolution, describing it as “worth a straw.”
Although the European Parliament has passed the resolution, imposing sanctions requires unanimous approval by all EU member states. At present, Hungary and Slovakia oppose such measures, making EU-wide sanctions unlikely. Instead, the resolution calls on individual member states to impose restrictions at a national level.
The resolution also recognizes Salome Zourabichvili as the legitimate President of Georgia and urges the President of the European Council to invite her to represent Georgia at the next European Council meeting and the European Political Community Summit.
Furthermore, MEPs argue that new parliamentary elections are necessary to resolve Georgia’s political crisis. They call for elections to be held in the coming months under improved conditions, supervised by an independent and impartial election administration, and urge EU member states to support this demand.
On the same day, the European Parliament rejected an alternative resolution submitted by MEPs from Germany and Bulgaria, affiliated with the Europe of Sovereign Nations group. The proposal, backed by politicians from the Alternative for Germany party and the Bulgarian Renaissance party, challenged the EU’s stance on Georgia and criticized what it described as interference in the country’s internal affairs.
The rejected resolution insisted that the Georgian parliamentary elections on 26 October 2024 had been conducted in compliance with national and international standards, asserting that the Georgian people had made a democratic choice. It accused the EU of undermining Georgia’s sovereignty by supporting opposition movements and called for an end to external pressure on the government.
This alternative resolution starkly contrasted with the one adopted by the majority of MEPs, which does not recognize the legitimacy of the October elections.
