Salome Samadashvili, a leader of the opposition Strong Georgia, has described the approval of the MEGOBARI Act, a bill critical to Georgian Dream authorities, by a US Senate committee on Thursday, as a victory for the country’s pro-democracy movement and a setback for what she called the “Russian regime” in Tbilisi.
In press comments on Friday, the opposition politician claimed the act symbolized a strengthening of ties between the Georgian people and the West while dealing a blow to the influence of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili – the founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party – widely seen as the country’s most powerful political figure.
“I would like to talk about the very great victory that the Georgian people’s relentless struggle for freedom won yesterday, in the international arena,” Samadashvili said. “The adoption of the MEGOBARI Act by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee is another great defeat for the Russian regime on the foreign front.”
The Act, backed unanimously by the committee, is expected to introduce large-scale sanctions against representatives of the Georgian government and businesses associated with his administration. Samadashvili claimed the act would directly target those “undermining Georgia’s democracy” and “aligning the country closer to Moscow.”
Samadashvili further described the ruling party’s plans to ban domestic opposition groups as “a sign of desperation.”
“The regime has not achieved any of its goals,” she added, referring to the government’s ongoing struggle for international recognition since last year’s controversial elections. “What is being confirmed in relation to the regime is a large-scale sanctions regime.”
She also accused the government of facilitating Russian interests in Georgia, including attempting to shift blame onto Tbilisi for the 2008 war with Russia and paving the way for potential recognition of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
Samadashvili called on the public to mobilize against what she termed “Russian occupation,” urging Georgians to join a planned demonstration on March 31.
