PM: Western sanctions officials noted Gov’t’s “effective control” on preventing Russia sanctions evasion
In comments at the Georgian Parliament to present the annual report on the work of the Government, Garibashvili said “not a single fact” had been presented to back allegations of the country being used to circumvent the sanctions. Photo: Government Administration
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted this week’s visit of sanctions officials from the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States to the country by saying the domestic public had heard their assessments of “effective control” by the Government in not allowing circumvention of the sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
In comments at the Georgian Parliament to present the annual report on the work of the Government, Garibashvili said “not a single fact” had been presented to back allegations of the country being used to circumvent the sanctions.
I want to tell you that since the so-called financial sanctions were imposed [on Russia], [and] restrictions on certain products were introduced, our position has been clear. We have made it clear that Georgia will not become a place to circumvent sanctions, and that sanctioned companies and individuals will not be able to conduct unauthorised transactions, including the passage of unauthorised products involving our country”, Garibashvili told lawmakers.
“Accordingly, our position [...] was confirmed through the rather effective actions we have taken, and the public heard the assessments [by the Western sanctions officials]. They said that the Georgian Government exercises effective control and has created an effective system that minimises these risks”, he noted.
The Government head added the Georgian authorities had shared the information with European partners that “we have identified up to 1,300 cases [involving sanctioned goods], and we informed our European counterparts that these sanctioned products had come from their countries”.
We help our European friends prevent illegal sales and shipments of sanctioned products. So we are completely transparent in this process, we have not a single unanswered question. All questions have been answered. We are absolutely transparent. I declare with full responsibility - not a single fact has been presented to us that Georgia helped anyone avoid any sanctions. Not a single fact”, Garibashvili concluded.
EU, UK and US sanctions officials paid a visit to Georgia this week and on Wednesday highlighted they had been “convinced” that the country’s Government was “seriously” determined not to allow the circumvention of the sanctions imposed on Russia.
Sanctions officials from the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, who were on a visit to Georgia this week, on Wednesday highlighted they had been “convinced” that the country’s Government was “seriously” determined not to allow the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
James O'Brien, the Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination in the United States, on Wednesday said the Georgian Government had done “a great job” in preventing the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Kumar Iyer, the Director General for Economics, Science and Technology at the United Kingdom Foreign Office, on Wednesday said he was “truly grateful” for the steps taken by the Georgian Government “so far” to prevent the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
David O’Sullivan, the European Union Sanctions Envoy, on Wednesday said during his meetings with Georgian authorities over the last two days, he had got “convinced” that the country’s Government was “seriously” determined not to allow the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday highlighted the Georgian Government’s “principled” stance that the country’s territorial integrity must be restored “only in a peaceful way”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Saturday said Georgian authorities had selected only those airline companies to operate in Georgia, which were not sanctioned for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said “none of the competent bodies” or states had found “even one case” of the Georgian Government helping Russia to circumvent the sanctions imposed on it for its invasion of Ukraine.
James O'Brien, the Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the US State Department, on Wednesday said Georgia's customs services were taking “real steps” to limit the transportation of war-related goods into Russia on the backdrop of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, and praised the Georgian Government as “good partners in terms of transparency”.
The 2023 Investment Climate Statements of the United States Department of State on Thursday said the National Bank of Georgia and financial institutions of the country were acting “fully” in accordance with the international financial sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia’s Western partners, including the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, “have repeatedly praised” the country’s compliance with all international financial sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the Georgian Government’s policy of not implementing sanctions on Russia had “brought us a stable situation in Georgia”.
Gia Volski, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday claimed a part of the domestic opposition was “unhappy” with the Government's "effective work" that had resulted in absence of evidence suggesting Russia evading international sanctions imposed on it for its invasion of Ukraine through Georgian territory.