US imposes visa restrictions on “dozens” of Georgian officials, MPs, law enforcement, private citizens following passage of transparency law

Matthew Miller, the Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, on Thursday announced the US Government had imposed visa restrictions on “dozens” of Georgian individuals in its first batch of sanctions following adoption of a controversial domestic law on transparency of foreign influence by the Georgian Parliament. 

The sanctions are imposed against members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, MPs of the Parliament, law enforcement and private citizens.

The statement said the adoption of the law had “negatively impacted” Georgia’s progress in EU integration.

Secretary Blinken recently announced a comprehensive review of all bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia. As part of that review, the Department implemented a new visa restriction policy under [...] the Immigration and Nationality Act. Today, under this policy we are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on dozens of Georgian individuals”, Miller said. 

This includes individuals responsible for or complicit in, or immediate family members of those responsible for or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia, such as undermining the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, violently attacking peaceful protesters, intimidating civil society representatives, and deliberately spreading disinformation at the direction of the Georgian government”, he added.

The official emphasised the US remained “deeply concerned” with the ruling Georgian Dream party’s recent “antidemocratic actions”, as well as its statements and rhetoric, adding “these actions risk derailing Georgia’s European future and run counter to the Georgian Constitution and the wishes of its people”.

Miller did not specify names of the sanctioned individuals, but added those who had US visas would receive notifications, while in other cases "we typically don't notify people but they find out if they try to come to the US". 

Miller also emphasised the move was “just the first step in our series of actions”, adding the actions were “not just necessarily related to only personal sanctions”. He noted  measures undertaken by his state included a “full review of our relationship” with the Government of Georgia.

The Spokesperson also said there was “still time for the Georgian Government to reverse the trajectory that it’s on”.

It remains our hope that Georgia’s leaders will reconsider their actions and take steps to move forward with their nation’s long-stated democratic and Europe-Atlantic aspirations. But if they do not, the US is prepared to take additional actions”, the official noted.

The law on transparency of foreign influence 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. 

It was supported by 84 MPs in the 150-member Parliament, with 30 voting against, and requires the groups “considered to be an organisation pursuing the interests of a foreign power” to be registered in the public registry with the status and publicise their received funding.