Ruling party official highlights “commitment to country’s interests” as US imposes visa restrictions

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday highlighted the ruling party’s “commitment to the interests of the country” following the United States’ decision to impose visa restrictions on members of the Georgian Dream party following its adoption of the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence.

The party official’s comments came after 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.

This does not change our attitude towards the homeland, it does not change our decision when it comes to the interests of the country, the future of this country. No one is afraid of these sanctions”, Kaladze said.

He further noted the Government was “ready to reboot” the strategic partnership relationship with the United States and have “genuine and healthy” relations.

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.