The US State Department responded to the Georgian PM's statement about the influence of oligarchs in imposing sanctions

The decision to impose sanctions against Georgian politicians and law enforcers was made only by the US authorities. This is how Matthew Miller, head of the press service of the U.S. State Department, responded to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

Earlier, Kobakhidze said that the sanctions “are not the fault of the State Department, but of oligarchic forces that have a principled influence on official institutions in the United States of America.”

“In the United States, unlike some countries around the world, it is the democratically elected government that makes our political decisions and no one else,” Miller said at a briefing on Tuesday.

At the same time, the State Department spokesman refused to comment on Kobakhidze's words about approaching a “critical point” in relations with the United States. The Prime Minister issued a corresponding warning to the American ambassador. According to him, “another” decision like the sanctions imposed earlier “will entail a significant revision of Georgia's position.”

“I will not discuss it,” Miller said.

On September 16, it became known that the U.S. imposed sanctions against 64 citizens of Georgia for human rights violations and undermining democracy.

In the sanctions list of the U.S. Department of special assignments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Zviad Kharazishvili, his deputy, as well as two representatives of the pro-Russian group Alt-Info were included in the sanctions list of the U.S. Treasury Department.

In the case of the law enforcers, the sanctions were imposed because of their role in the violent dispersal of peaceful demonstrations against the foreign agents law this spring. Leaders of Alt-Info, known for a series of pogroms at LGBT rallies, were placed on the list because of “violent attacks” on citizens who were exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly.

At the same time, the U.S. State Department said it had imposed visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgian citizens and their family members. The names were not reported. The statement said they are:

senior state and municipal officials who have abused their power to restrict the fundamental freedoms of the Georgian people;

businessmen involved in corruption;

individuals who spread disinformation and propagandized violent extremism;

Law enforcement officers who participated in the beating of demonstrators;

members of the Georgian parliament who played a crucial role in promoting undemocratic legislation and restricting civil society.

Reprinted from https://www.newsgeorgia.ge/