US Senators introduce MEGOBARI Act to ‘support Georgia’, oppose Gov’t actions

US Senators Jim Risch and Jeanne Shaheen have introduced the Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act – known as the MEGOBARI Act – to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The bill, whose acronym coincides with the Georgian word for “friend,” aims to reaffirm American support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and democratic development while opposing recent actions taken by the Georgian government.

In a statement, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Risch said the legislation would send a strong message of solidarity with the Georgian people as they fight for their right to self-determination. He criticized the Georgian government’s handling of pro-democracy demonstrations sparked by the Government’s move last year to halt EU integration until 2028, citing concerns over violent crackdowns on peaceful protesters.

“Friends of Georgia around the world have been shocked and appalled by the government’s authoritarian slide and the violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators,” Risch said.

Senator Shaheen echoed these sentiments, saying that the United States “must reinforce its backing for Georgia” amid what she described as “constitutional violations” by the ruling Georgian Dream party. She emphasized that Georgia’s people had made their Euro-Atlantic aspirations clear, and that the US must continue to support them against Russian efforts to destabilize the region.

“I am pleased to reintroduce this bipartisan, bicameral bill with Chairman Risch to support the Georgian people in the face of the Georgian Dream government’s constitutional violations and violence against peaceful protesters,” Shaheen said. “As Russia seeks to undermine democracies throughout the region, we cannot turn our backs on a key partner who is striving for a free and democratic future.”

The MEGOBARI Act is expected to provide the US with additional tools to support democratic institutions in Georgia and counter what lawmakers have described as the country’s recent democratic backsliding. The move comes amid increasing tensions between Washington and Tbilisi over governance issues and Georgia’s geopolitical trajectory.