US House passes MEGOBARI Act targeting Georgian ruling party with bipartisan support

The United States House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the MEGOBARI Act, a bipartisan bill imposing sanctions on Georgian officials accused of undermining democracy and aligning with authoritarian regimes.

In the early hours of Tuesday, at 3:00 AM Tbilisi time, the House approved the Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act (MEGOBARI Act) with 349 votes in favor and 42 against, while 42 members did not vote. The bill garnered support from 168 Republicans and 181 Democrats, reflecting strong bipartisan backing.

Introduced by Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), along with co-sponsors Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Richard Hudson (R-NC), and Marc Veasey (D-TX), the legislation aims to counter the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, the Iranian regime, and Russia in Georgia.

The MEGOBARI Act mandates a comprehensive review of US-Georgia relations and imposes sanctions on individuals found to have engaged in significant corruption or actions undermining Georgia's sovereignty and democratic institutions. It also requires the US government to report on Russian and Chinese intelligence activities in Georgia.

During the House debate, Representative Wilson emphasized the importance of supporting the Georgian people in their pursuit of democracy, saying, "the Ivanishvili regime seeks to undermine Georgian freedom. I stand with the Georgian people and the legitimate President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, in their call for free and fair elections."

Representative Cohen echoed this sentiment, criticizing the Georgian Dream party for turning Georgia "into a Russian colony" and highlighting the need for the US to support the Georgian people's demand for a return to a transatlantic path.

The bill now moves to the Senate, where a companion version has been introduced with bipartisan support. If passed, it will proceed to President Donald Trump for his signature. 

The House vote coincided with the 160th consecutive day of pro-European demonstrations in Georgia, reflecting widespread public concern over the country's democratic trajectory and foreign policy orientation.