U.S. Congress Subcommittee Hearing: Agents’ Law, Sino-Georgian Relations
On June 26, the U.S. Congressional Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe held a hearing on “Analyzing the Fiscal Year 25 State and Foreign Operations Budget Request for Europe,” at which Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Jim O’Brien and Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia (E&E) at USAID, Erin Elizabeth McKee testified about the budgets needed to carry out their agencies’ work in Europe in 2025 and the challenges facing U.S. foreign policy in European countries that are backsliding on democracy, including Georgia.
While opening the hearing, the Congressman Bill Keating (REP/D-MA 9th District) described the situation in Europe, specifically noting the U.S. efforts in helping Ukraine win the war against Russia. He also touched on what is happening in other European countries, stating: “While Ukraine fights to preserve its democracy, leaders across Europe have thought to undermine democratic principles, the rule of law and the values that underpin our transatlantic alliance. Most recently, in Georgia, the Georgian Dream party forced through a Kremlin inspired agent law and signed a strategic partnership agreement with China, a country actively supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, even as the Kremlin continues to occupy 20% of Georgia’s territory.”
REP Keating also mentioned similar cases of democratic backsliding in other countries, such as Hungary, adding: “The actions of [Hungarian PM Viktor] Orbán, as well as the Georgian Dream are an extreme concern, and they undermine the long-term interest of the Georgian and Hungarian people.”
In his opening remark, the Ambassador Jim O’Brien discussed the work his agency carries out in Europe, focusing especially on the nine countries which have a perspective of joining the EU in the future. One of those countries he mentioned was Georgia, as he noted: “We’re now also seeing a bit of a reaction. Some elites [including in Georgia] are backing against having to make the hard reforms that are needed to join the EU and NATO. We have to work together to see that that doesn’t continue.”
In her opening remarks, Erin Elizabeth McKee spoke about the USAID’s efforts in supporting democracy in European countries, as well as around the world. She noted: “In the Caucasus… we are responding to new challenges, but we also see new opportunities. In Georgia, we are focusing on ensuring that Georgia remains on its democratic path and runs a free and fair election in October and hopefully regains momentum towards the EU accession. The ruling party’s passage of the Foreign Influence Law and anti-Western rhetoric gravely threatens civil society, independent media and demonstrates the importance of USAID’s assistance to bolster the democratic forces there.”
Lastly, the discussion during the hearing circled back to Georgia during the questions and answers section. The Ambassador Jim O’Brien was asked about how the Agents law, as well as China-Georgia relations, affect Georgia’s EU integration, to which the Ambassador answered: “In broad terms, in Georgia’s Constitution, put there by a Georgian Dream-led government, says that they want to join EU and NATO. The EU this week, and we repeatedly, have delivered publicly and privately the message that this violence against the opposition, the Foreign Agent law, the awarding of the [Anaklia] port contract to a Chinese company – all of these thing jeopardize the path towards the EU and NATO, which more than 80% of Georgia’s citizens support.”
Also Read:
- 26/06/2024 – U.S. State Department Will Track Agents Law’s Effect on Georgia’s Anti-Trafficking Efforts
- 24/06/2024 – Georgia Invited to NATO Partnership Events, Says Assistant Secretary O’Brien, Urges Government to “Reconsider Its Positions”
- 21/06/2024 – Former GD Advisor Mitchell Briefs the U.S. Helsinki Commission
- 19/06/2024 – U.S. Ambassador Urges the Government to Reverse Course Promptly to Rebuild Relations
- 06/06/2024 – BREAKING: US State Department Implements First Tranche of Sanctions against Georgian Individuals
- 29/05/2024 – U.S. Condemns Override of Presidential Veto, Final Adoption of Foreign Agents Law
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