Parliament official: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty report on possible violations of Russia sanctions through Georgia “fake”

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Wednesday said a report by the Georgian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on possible violations through Georgia of the international sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine was “fake”.

The article claimed Georgia had “once again” appeared on a list of countries that Russia could use to purchase dual-use products on the list of sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, and cited alleged increases of shipments of microchips from the United States to the country over the past few years.

This is not a random fake that just helps to damage the image [of the country]. This fake serves hostility towards Georgia, [the objective of] involving the country in the war, damaging its international image in such a way that the whole world will say Georgia is a place to circumvent the sanctions”, Mdinaradze said in his reaction.

The official stressed Georgia was an “exemplary country” in implementing the international sanctions. 

It is impossible to provide a single proof of Georgia even having been used to circumvent the sanctions. [And] [s]uch a country gets accusations from publications and televisions operating in their own country”, he said.

Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili also rejected this information earlier today, calling it “manipulation”.