US introduces new visa restrictions on Georgia over 'foreign agent' bill
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United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday (May 23) that Washington was introducing new visa restrictions on Georgia over a"foreign agent"bill passed by the Georgian parliament earlier this month. In a statement, Secretary of State Blinken said that the visa restriction would"apply toindividuals who are responsible for or complicit in underminingdemocracy in Georgia, as well as their family members."
"This includes individuals responsible for suppressing civil society and freedom of peaceful assembly in Georgia through a campaign of violence or intimidation,"he said,adding,that USsupport for Georgia was"longstanding and foundational to our bilateral relationship."
Blinken also announced that he has launcheda comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation between the US and Georgia."It remains our hope thatGeorgia’sleaders will reconsider the draft law and take steps to move forward with theirnation’sdemocratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations,"the secretary of state added.
What is the foreign agent bill?
The foreign agent billrequires NGOsand media outlets that receive more than 20 per cent of their funding from abroad toregister as bodies"pursuing the interests of a foreign power."
Georgian lawmakers passed the bill despitemajorprotests. Critics have decried the bill asauthoritarian and Russian-inspired. However, the rulingGeorgian Dream party has said that the legislation is neededto ensure transparency in foreign funding of NGOs and protect thecountry'ssovereignty.
Also watch |Georgian president vetoes foreign agent law, says 'it stalls our pathway to EU membership'
On Thursday, Blinken saidthat thebill would"stifle the exercise of freedoms of association and expression,stigmatiseorganisationsthat serve the citizens of Georgia, and impede independent mediaorganizationsworking to provide Georgians with access to high-quality information."
US blackmailing Georgia over bill: Russia
Also on Thursday, Russia hit out at the US over the foreign agent bill, saying the world was watching anotherfact of the cynical and inconsiderate American intervention into affairs of sovereign countries.
"For now,Washington does not like aGeorgian law on foreign influence transparency.And what will be next? What law would Washington not like?You know,they are just testing the waters,"Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, as reported bynews agency Reuters.
"If Tbilisi andGeorgia, people ofGeorgiasubjectto this blackmailing now, they would just demonstrate that it is possible to do anything with them. It is a fact,"she added.
(With inputs from agencies)