The United States has imposed visa restrictions on around 20 individuals in Georgia, including government ministers, members of parliament, law enforcement and security officials, and private individuals, according to a statement from the US Department of State.
The measures target those deemed “responsible for or complicit in the undermining of democracy in Georgia,” the statement said. This move follows earlier actions that affected more than 100 individuals and their families linked to the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The State Department condemned what it described as Georgian Dream’s “ongoing brutal and unjustified violence” against protesters, media representatives, human rights defenders, and opposition members. It also accused the party of rejecting Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, a path supported by the majority of Georgian citizens and enshrined in the constitution.
In addition to visa restrictions, the US announced plans to prepare further measures, including sanctions, to hold accountable those undermining democratic principles. “Together with the people of Georgia, we want to see a strong, prosperous, and democratic Georgia that is firmly integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community,” the statement read.
These actions highlight Washington’s continued support for Georgia’s democratic progress and its opposition to actions perceived as eroding democratic norms.
