Sanctions Cast Shadow on Friendship, Botchorishvili Tells British Ambassador in Meeting
Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili met with the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry reported on June 26.
“The sides discussed the dynamics of relations between the two countries,” Georgia’s MFA said, reporting that Minsiter Botchorishvili pointed to recent statements and actions by the British executive and legislative branches, including sanctions of Georgian citizens, which “cast a shadow over the strategic partnership and friendship” between the two countries and are “often aimed at influencing Georgia’s internal political processes.”
Since December 2024, the United Kingdom has sanctioned senior Interior Ministry officials — including now-former GD Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri — amid violent crackdowns on protests; senior judges over “serious corruption” allegations; and other high-level officials, including Prosecutor General Giorgi Gabitashvili, who also recently left his post.
The Georgian MFA also stated that the discussions addressed new grant rules, which require government approval for foreign funding. The British Embassy earlier reported that it had declined grants to several organizations due to procedural “uncertainty” related to obtaining such consent and rejected accusations of funding extremism.
“The Ambassador was given the clarification that the process of developing the relevant rules for the new legislation is in its final stage, and that all interested parties will be provided with necessary information immediately,” the Foreign Ministry said.
On the ongoing developments in Georgia, GD Foreign Minister Botchorishvili stated that “legal processes should not be politicized, and with this, attempts to influence judicial proceedings should not take place.”
The meeting also follows repeated criticism from the British officials and diplomats toward GD’s actions. In the latest statement on June 24, UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty said the sentencing of opposition leaders to prison for boycotting a parliamentary investigative commission is a “blatant move to block election rivals,” adding, “Georgian Dream must end its silencing of dissent and free all political prisoners.”
“The discussions touched on regional security challenges, and in this context, the importance of the proper functioning of state institutions in ensuring the country’s stability and security was emphasized,” the press release added.
The British Embassy has not yet reported on the meeting, and the article will be updated if it does.
Also Read:
- 23/01/2025 – UK Ambassador on Sanctions, Democracy, and Georgia’s Economic Future
- 12/12/2024 – UK Ambassador: We are Shocked by Law Enforcement Violence