U.S. Announces Visa Bans For Georgian Dream Officials, As Protests Enter Third Week

The United States announced Thursday it would prohibit the issuing of visas for about 20 individuals responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia, as the pro-Western protests in the country entered their third week, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The State Department, without naming the names, described those who're targeted as being "responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia." They include individuals serving as government ministers and in Parliament, law enforcement and security officials, and private citizens.

"Hundreds of people have been arrested in Georgia since nightly protests broke out almost two weeks ago against a decision by the ruling Georgian Dream party to delay the former Soviet republic's long standing goal of joining the European Union," the Department reminded in its statement.

The United States "strongly condemns the Georgian Dream party’s ongoing, brutal, and unjustified violence against Georgian citizens, including protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures.  Georgian Dream has turned away from Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future, which the Georgian people overwhelmingly desire and the Georgian constitution envisions.   We are committed to seeing that senior officials responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy will be subject to visa restrictions," reads the statement.
The Department also went on to add that the Biden administration was preparing additional actions, including sanctions, to hold to account those who undermine democracy in Georgia. 

"Alongside the people of Georgia, we want to see a strong, prosperous, and democratic Georgia firmly integrated in the Euro-Atlantic community.  Our actions today demonstrate U.S. resolve and add to previously announced actions implicating more than 100 Georgian Dream-affiliated individuals and their family members," the statement concludes.