On June 4, the United States Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) held a congressional hearing on supporting Georgia’s sovereignty and democracy. Chaired by U.S. Representative Joe Wilson.
U.S. Representative Joe Wilson opened the session by highlighting the decades-long U.S.-Georgia partnership since Georgia’s independence. “Our two countries have worked closely together to develop deep and far-reaching reforms in Georgia…” Wilson said, noting: “The United States have contributed over six billion dollars in direct assistance and much more beyond to provide opportunities and open horizons for the Georgian people.”
Against this backdrop, Wilson regretted that this strong bond between the two countries has come under attack by Georgia’s ruling party Georgian Dream and due to the adoption of the infamous foreign agents law. “This law is openly intended to stigmatize and undermine the nation’s independent civil society and media, and suppress avenues for alternative thoughts on the scene,” he said, adding: “This foreign agents law appears to be only the tip of the iceberg of the government anti-democratic turn.”
Recalling the recent organized campaign of intimidation against civil society, opposition and government critics, he said: “Georgian Dream is actively embracing war criminal Putin and other authoritarians despite Putin occupying 20 percent of its internationally recognized territory…” He also noted that GD is expanding its ties with the Chinese Communist Party, which he said is “another aspect of its dictatorial turn.”
“The United States must not allow this attack on Georgian democracy and its Euro-Atlantic future to go unanswered,” he said, welcoming the State Department’s recent announcement of visa restrictions for those undermining democracy in Georgia. “But we must do more to keep our promises to the people of Georgia,” he said, welcoming the introduction of the MEGOBARI Act.
The hearing came amid the recent adoption of the Russian-style foreign agents law and the U.S. announcement of sanctions against those undermining democracy in Georgia and a comprehensive review of all U.S.-Georgian cooperation, as well as the introduction of the MEGOBARI Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, and another piece of legislation- Georgia People’s Act (GPA) in the U.S. Senate, both of which envisage imposing sanctions on Georgian officials and reviewing U.S.-Georgia relations.
