The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved the MEGOBARI Act, a bipartisan legislative initiative designed to bolster support for the people of Georgia and promote the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
The full name of the legislation is the “Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act.” The English abbreviation “MEGOBARI” translates to “friend” in Georgian. The bill was first introduced in May of last year by Congressman Joe Wilson in the House of Representatives.
For the MEGOBARI Act to become law, it must receive approval from the relevant committees in both chambers of Congress and then be passed by the full House and Senate. It was presented to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 5 by committee chairman Republican Jim Risch and Democratic member Jeanne Shaheen. On March 24, two additional senators—Republican Pete Ricketts and Democrat Christopher Coons—joined as co-sponsors of the bill.
In addition to reaffirming support for Georgia, the legislation includes provisions for sanctions against officials of the ruling Georgian Dream party, further emphasizing the US commitment to promoting democratic progress in the region.
