Sanctions on Georgian Govt to intensify amid authoritarian concerns – ex-Public Defender

Sanctions and other forms of pressure on the Georgian government will intensify as the government continues to pursue authoritarian practices, said Nino Lomjaria, Georgia’s former Public Defender and founder of the public platform European Orbit of Georgia.

Lomjaria on Wednesday claimed the West had announced a reduction in high-level meetings with Georgian authorities.

“The West openly declares that meetings with the ruling party Georgian Dream will be minimized. They are sanctioned by the West. We find ourselves in an extraordinary and unprecedented situation, which, while expected, is still concerning. I anticipate that sanctions and other forms of pressure on the Georgian government will continue to increase as time goes on and as the government continues to move towards authoritarianism,” said Nino Lomjaria.

The United States has imposed sanctions on unspecified Georgian officials for “undermining democracy” after the adoption of the controversial foreign influence transparency law last month.