US State Department Spokesperson says sanctions against Georgian officials over transparency “not yet announced”

Matthew Miller, the Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, on Monday said his Government had not yet announced individual sanctions against officials of the executive and legislative branches of the Georgian Government following adoption of the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence in the country.

We’ve announced a new sanctions policy. We have not yet announced individual sanctions. And I’ll leave it at that. But we have made clear that we would not hesitate to impose them”, the official said.

Miller further claimed the law was moving Georgia “away from its democratic trajectory” and could “stigmatise civil society” and “stifle the freedoms of association and expression”.

The law requires registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.

These actions fundamentally alter the US relationship with Georgia. And so that’s why we have launched a review of our relationship and will consider our response to the actions that the Government of Georgia has taken”, the State Department Spokesperson noted.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month announced a new visa restriction policy for “those responsible for undermining democracy” in Georgia, including in connection with the law adopted by the ruling Georgian Dream party, as well as a comprehensive review of the cooperation between the two countries.