Civil.ge Reports on European Parliament Resolution to Sanction Bidzina Ivanishvili

The European Parliament has passed a new resolution concerning the democratic backsliding taking place in Georgia following the passage of the controversial foreign agents law. Civil.ge has published a summary of the resolution – excerpt below.

The resolution calls Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the ruling party, an “oligarch” and deplores his personal role in Georgia’s current political crisis and in yet another attempt to undermine the country’s Euro-Atlantic orientation in favor of a pivot to Russia. The European Parliament reiterates its call on the European Council and the EU’s democratic partners “to impose immediate and targeted personal sanctions on Ivanishvili for his role in the deterioration of the political process in Georgia.”

Furthermore, the European Parliament calls on the EU and the bloc’s member states “to hold to account and impose personal sanctions on all those responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia, who are complicit in the violence committed against political opponents and peaceful protesters and who spread anti-Western disinformation.”

While expressing “deep concern” about the increased influence of Russia on Georgia, including through increased immigration from Russia and increased trade ties between the two countries, the European Parliament calls on the Georgian government “to impose sanctions against Russia in response to its war of aggression against Ukraine.” It also calls on the government “to continue its previous policy of non-recognition of the occupied territories and honor its commitment to enforce effective measures to avoid the circumvention of European sanctions.” The resolution encourages the Georgian government “to align fully with the EU’s foreign policy and the EU’s strategy towards Russia.”