MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor urges personal sanctions as 'only leverage' against Georgian Gov't

Speaking at a special session of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, Spanish MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor stated that personal sanctions were the only tool available to counter Georgia’s ruling regime, and that these measures had already proven to provoke a reaction in the past.

Amor said that in all the meetings related to Georgia, there had been a universal consensus that personal sanctions remained the only leverage Europe had. He noted that the Georgian ruling elite were primarily concerned with their business interests and enjoying life in democratic countries, and that their children often studied in universities in Europe. He questioned why the EU had so far hesitated to use the legal instruments at its disposal to impose sanctions for human rights violations.

THe MEP stressed that there was no contact with the Georgian government during the European Parliament’s recent mission to the country, adding that the delegation did not recognize the government’s objectivity and therefore deliberately avoided any engagement. Instead, they met with relevant civil society groups and other partners to gain an accurate impression of the situation.

He described the challenges in Georgia as “enormous and truly difficult” due to the adoption of numerous repressive laws. In his remarks, he emphasized that the recent Georgian legislation was completely at odds with EU standards and values, and that it was not only about the laws themselves but also about how they were implemented. Amor accused the government of disinformation campaigns targeting both the Georgian public and the EU.

He also noted that the Georgian authorities were cracking down on civil society, condemning their efforts to shut down certain communication channels and human rights NGOs. However, he praised the determination of civil society to keep fighting, despite the increasingly repressive political environment.

Amor warned that if the Georgian opposition did not find a unified voice, they risked falling apart. He added that one of the key decisions facing the opposition was whether or not to participate in upcoming local elections, and that there needed to be an agreement on the procedures to be adopted.

Finally, Amor underscored the urgent need to continue political support for Georgian civil society and to protect those who were demonstrating and had been detained for defending democratic values. He concluded that the current situation was as bad as it could get, with serious violations of civil society’s rights by the Georgian authorities.