Opposition MP: family members of ruling party representatives notified of US visa cancellations

Khatia Dekanoidze, an opposition MP, has announced that family members of the ruling Georgian Dream party representatives had been notified about the cancellation of their visas due to the adoption of the controversial foreign influence transparency bill. According to Dekanoidze, sanctions are imminent.

 

“I already have information that there are representatives of Georgian Dream whose family members have received specific notifications about the cancellation of their visas,” Dekanoidze said

The MP emphasized that this information would soon become public and reach the GD itself. She mentioned that the United States would impose sanctions on individuals deemed necessary by the State Department.

“Sanctions will be imposed very soon. The information will be spread shortly. Of course, I am not going to name anyone in particular, but it should be noted that the United States will cancel the visas of those considered necessary by the State Department. Additionally, sanctions will target all those who participate in or organize violence,” Dekanoidze added.

On May 28, the Georgian Parliament overrode the President’s veto and approved the bill initiated by the Georgian Dream ruling party, with 84 votes in favor. Protests continue to erupt in Tbilisi and other Georgian cities, with targeted organizations pledging to challenge the law through legal channels.

The controversy intensified two weeks prior, on May 14, when the bill was adopted in its third reading by Parliament. During this period, Jim O’Brien, the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, visited Georgia. O’Brien warned that if the law was not amended to align with EU standards, the US would impose financial and travel restrictions. The European Union is also contemplating possible visa restrictions and other sanctions.