31 July 2024 , 20:49
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Secretary of state says suspension is due to ‘anti-democratic’ actions from the Georgian government
The US has suspended $95m in assistance to Georgia after its parliament adopted legislation related to foreign agents that critics say was inspired by a Russian law used to crack down on political dissent and that sparked weeks of mass protests.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said on Wednesday that he had decided to pause the Georgian aid, which would directly benefit the government, in response to “anti-democratic” actions the government has taken.
The US has also already imposed visa bans on a number of Georgian politicians and law enforcement officials for suppressing free speech, particularly voices in favor of Georgia’s integration with the west.
“The Georgian government’s anti-democratic actions and false statements are incompatible with membership norms in the EU and Nato,” Blinken said in a statement released as he was flying from Singapore to Mongolia at the end of a six-nation tour of Asia.
Despite the suspension, Blinken said the US would continue to fund programs in Georgia that promote democracy, the rule of law, independent media and economic development.
“We will remain committed to the Georgian people and their Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” he said, noting that the US has provided more than $6.2bn in assistance to Georgia over the past three decades since it won independence from the Soviet Union.
The Georgian parliament passed the legislation in May, overriding a veto by the president. The law requires media and nongovernmental organizations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
Critics say that it closely resembles legislation the Kremlin used to silence opponents and that it will obstruct Georgia’s bid to join the EU.