Ruling party executive secretary: we deserve specifics on US sanctions

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has called for clarity regarding the recent visa restrictions imposed by the US for the adoption of the controversial foreign influence transparency law.

He questions on Friday whether Georgian legislators were the first in the world to be sanctioned for passing a law.

“We deserve to know if we are indeed the first legislators sanctioned for this reason. This situation needs to be approached more seriously,” Mdinaradze said.

He also criticized the Georgian opposition, calling it inhumane to express admiration based on vague hints. 

“General hints have been announced repeatedly without specifics. It is inhumane to expect admiration under such conditions. This treatment is even worse than banning access to content by labeling it ‘Russian’. Our opposition did not deserve such treatment,” Mdinaradze wrote on social media.

The new law designates non-governmental and media organizations whose income exceeds 20 percent from abroad as entities serving the interests of a foreign power. They are required to register in a specialized registry and submit financial declarations annually, with failure resulting in a 25, 000 GEL fine upon first offense.

The United States on Thursday imposed visa bans on dozens of Georgian citizens, according to US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. The first tranche of visa restrictions includes members of the Georgian Dream ruling party, members of parliament, law enforcement officers, and private individuals. 

Miller noted that this initial set of visa restrictions will cover between 24 to 34 individuals as the law is expected to restrict critical voices in the country and hamper its European interaction.