The Daily Beat: 17 December

Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the European Union Foreign Affairs Council‘s decision to suspend visa liberalization for holders of diplomatic passports holds only “symbolic importance.” At the same time, he described it as a “clearly anti-Georgian step.” Kobakhidze criticized the Foreign Affairs Council, saying such decisions undermine confidence in EU institutions in Georgian society.

Irakli Kobakhidze also expressed gratitude to Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Spain, and Romania for “defending the interests of the Georgian people” at the Foreign Affairs Council which aimed to sanction Georgian Dream officials. Later in the day, the foreign ministries of Romania, Italy, and Spain refuted “Kobakhidze’s gratitude,” further asserting that alongside other EU countries, they also expressed serious concerns about the situation in Georgia and fully supported the Council’s decisions.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has published its judgment in the case of Taganova and Others v. Georgia and Russia, holding Russia fully responsible for the violations of property rights in Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia. In its unanimous ruling, the Court found violations of Article 1 of Protocol No.1 (protection of property) and Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

During a debate on Georgia in the European Parliament, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) addressed the recent democratic backsliding in Georgia, warning that the country is veering toward a “Belarusian-style authoritarian regime under the shadow of the Kremlin.” The MEPs called on the EU to immediately implement “real sanctions” against those responsible for the rigged elections and violence against peaceful demonstrators.

In the Conclusions on Enlargement issued on December 17 the EU General Affairs Council, while reaffirming its “full and unequivocal commitment” to the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova, recalled that “the course of action taken by the Georgian government jeopardizes Georgia’s European path, de-facto leading to a halt of the accession process.”

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee condemned Georgian Dream’s continued violence against peaceful demonstrators and urged President Biden to impose Global Magnitsky sanctions. “President Biden should hold accountable those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts of repression, including issuing Global Magnitsky sanctions,” said the Senator.

At a press briefing, U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller announced that new sanctions against Georgian officials are expected in the coming weeks. “We have other sanctions that we are preparing to unfold in the coming weeks… these are not things in many cases that you can do overnight. You have to make sure you get the letter and the law right when you impose these sanctions and that’s what we’re working on doing, even as we speak,” Miller told reporters.