Fri Dec 27 17:44:54 UTC 2024: ## US Sanctions Georgian Billionaire Amid Protests Over EU Accession Freeze

**Tbilisi, Georgia** – The United States has imposed sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s influential former prime minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, citing his role in undermining democratic institutions and hindering the country’s progress towards European Union membership. The sanctions, announced Friday by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, come amidst widespread protests sparked by the government’s decision to suspend EU accession talks until 2028.

Blinken accused Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream of “eroding democratic institutions, enabling human rights abuses, and curbing fundamental freedoms,” actions he said benefitted Russia. The government’s move to pause EU talks followed a European Parliament resolution that refused to recognize the results of Georgia’s October elections due to alleged irregularities. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, while maintaining a commitment to eventual EU membership by 2030, has faced intense criticism for the decision.

The suspension of EU accession efforts has ignited mass protests across Georgia. The government’s response has been met with international condemnation, with Human Rights Watch reporting “brutal violence” by police against largely peaceful demonstrators, including beatings, torture, and ill-treatment. The EU has also denounced the crackdown, expressing solidarity with the Georgian people.

In addition to the sanctions against Ivanishvili, which freeze his US assets, the US previously sanctioned several Georgian Interior Ministry officials for their alleged complicity in the violent suppression of protests. While Ivanishvili and his allies previously claimed to be under de facto US sanctions, Washington had denied this. Georgian Dream has yet to respond to the latest sanctions. The ongoing protests and the US’s strong response underscore the deep political crisis gripping Georgia and its uncertain path towards European integration.

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