US State Department investment climate report “cold shower” for Georgian Gov’t critics - ruling party MP
Ruling Georgian Dream party MP Mikheil Sarjveladze said on Friday the US Department of State’s 2022 Investment Climate Statements confirmed the Georgian Government “had never supported Russia” in evasion of international sanctions imposed on it for invading Ukraine. Photo: Parliament of Georgia press office
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The United States Department of State’s 2022 Investment Climate Statements, which on Thursday said the National Bank of Georgia and Georgian financial institutions were acting "fully in accordance" with the international financial sanctions imposed on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, is a “cold shower” for Georgian Government’s critics, ruling party MP Mikheil Sarjveladze said on Friday.
The MP chairing the Parliament's Human Rights Protection Committee, suggested that the report dismissed the "unfounded allegations by both domestic and foreign forces” that Tbilisi was “supporting Russia” to circumvent sanctions with the use of the Georgian territory and the banking system.
When we [the Government and the ruling party] stated that we acted in full accordance with all international measures to prevent evading the sanctions [by Russia], we received completely unreasonable and unsubstantiated criticism not only by domestic forces, but also from abroad. Actually, the US State Department report is a cold shower for the Georgian Government critics”, Sarjveladze said.
Today, we published the annual Investment Climate Statements, which describe the investment climates of more than 160 countries and economies and help U.S. companies make informed business decisions. pic.twitter.com/tknmsKI0Me
— Department of State (@StateDept) July 28, 2022
In his remarks, Sarjveladze welcomed the report ranked Georgia high in the region “as a good place to do business despite challenges”, and stressed that the ruling party had already proposed moves to address the judiciary issues brought in the document within the working group initiated by the GD about three weeks ago to ensure the fulfilment of the European Union conditions for Georgia’s membership candidate status next year.
When we raised the issue in the working format [over the judicial sector’s ability to adjudicate commercial cases independently or in a timely manner] unfortunately we have received criticism by the opposition on why the issue could be prioritised. However, we [the ruling party] believe that the challenge should be addressed”, Sarjveladze stated.
Speaking about the business climate under the previous Government, Sarjveladze stated that people's property rights were “largely encroached” under the United National Movement rule, and the court judgments on various cases have proven that.
He suggested that one of the key problems which led to the end of the UNM-governance was the “severe violation” of property rights on their part.