GEORGIA: US Sanctions & more – 3rd April 2025

Gamarjobat from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Georgia Update from the 3rd of April twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Georgia.

On Thursday, the 27th, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a bipartisan bill called the MEGOBARI Act, which will take effect if passed by Congress. The act requires the U.S. president Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Georgian government officials, their supporters, and family members who obstruct democratic processes and Euro-Atlantic integration.

It also calls for the U.S. to reconsider military and financial aid to Georgia if the government does not realign with its pro-Western commitments. Also, the State Department must investigate Russian and Chinese influence in the country.

On the other hand, if Georgia's government returns to the Euro-Atlantic path, including amending the foreign influence agents law, the U.S. will strengthen bilateral cooperation and provide Georgia the means to defend itself from Russia and other hostile entities.

Next Up, on Friday, the 28th, Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of Coalition for Change - Gvaramia, Melia, Girchi, Droa or Tsvilebebistvis, was detained along with two other activists near the Parliament. The police are saying that she was detained for minor hooliganism and failure to obey police orders.

Khoshtaria says that the police mistreated her, that she was injured, and was forcibly stripped in the police station, calling it a violation of her dignity. She was denied a lawyer while arrested, but was soon released without any explanation.

Her mistreatment was condemned both inside the country, by all major opposition parties, and internationally by EU political groups and U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson. The Georgian Public Defender said that his organization will investigate the case as full-body strip searches, especially ones without legal justification, violate human rights standards.

Speaking of opposition figures being detained, prosecution has started a case against Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of the Strong Georgia Coalition or Dzlieri Lelo, for refusing to attend the questioning by the parliament’s temporary investigative committee, which has been set up to investigate any illegal activities by the United National Movement or Natsebi during the two thousand four – twenty twelve period, when they were in power.

Prosecutors say that Khazaradze received a summons to testify in front of the commission several days prior and was warned that refusing to do so would result in legal consequences. He publicly refused to participate in the investigation as he does not recognize the legitimacy of the Georgian Dream or Kotsebi parliament. If found guilty, he can face either fines or up to a year of imprisonment, including a three-year ban on holding a public office.

On that note about the Investigative committee, Salome Zourabichvili announced the creation of the Resistance Platform, which will unite and coordinate all current and future pro-European parties in the fight against the current regime. She stated that anyone is welcome to join, provided they agree on three key points: the release of all political prisoners, the scheduling of new parliamentary elections, and adherence to the Georgian Charter, which calls for the formation of a temporary technical government if the opposition wins parliamentary elections.

She also declared that no member of a party within the platform will comply with summonses from the Temporary Investigation Committee.

Opposition politicians are not the only ones facing persecution by the ruling party. On Saturday, the 29th, Vladimir Ambalia, a resident of Poti, in western Georgia, posted that friends of the city's mayor attacked him because of the critical content on his social media. Ambalia says that the attack happened during the day, when he was alone at his car wash, which is located just 100 meters (300 feet) from a police station.

Three out of five people who participated in the attack have already been identified in a camera footage. Ambalia says that most of them are childhood friends of the Mayor. The police started an investigation, but the city municipality has yet to make any comment on the accident.

On Wednesday, the 2nd, families of political prisoners who were arrested during pro-European demonstrations made a joint statement. They announced the creation of a new civic movement called Freedom for Conscience Prisoners.

They planned a gathering for the 8th of April, saying they would spend the whole night in front of the April 9th Memorial, which honors twenty-three people who lost their lives when the Soviet regime used force against protesters demanding Georgia’s independence.

In their statement, they called on political parties, the Georgian Church, students, and Georgia’s international partners to do everything they can to free the prisoners, push for new elections, and boycott the municipal elections in October. They warned that if their demands are not met, they will escalate protests by blocking government buildings and shutting down highways.

It seems that the Kotsebi has been trying to gain Trump’s favor by emulating his style and policies. This time the ruling party decided to create its own Department of Government efficiency, which in the US is led by Elon Musk.

This department will oversee the implementation of executive decisions across various sectors. The government plans to create a real-time audit to assess ongoing projects. The goal is to ensure the effective use of budget funds and strengthen transparency, along with the accountability of governance.

Talking about the U.S.-Georgia relations, members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission criticized the Kotsebi’s decision to give the Anaklia Port building contract to a Chinese consortium. This deep-water port will boost Georgia’s transit capabilities, making it a strategic asset.

They warned that the Chinese company leading the project could expand China’s influence in the Black Sea and harm Georgia’s future. They accused China Communications Construction Company of using infrastructure projects to exploit and destabilize host countries.

The commission urged the Kotsebi to reconsider, arguing that China’s growing presence, alongside Russia, threatens regional security and Georgia’s democracy. They also noted that the U.S. previously sanctioned the company for building military outposts in the South China Sea.

Also, U.S. President Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Georgia, as part of a broader move to apply additional tariffs to over 180 countries. These tariffs affect products imported into the U.S.

From January to February this year, Georgia's exports to the U.S. totaled 8.5 million dollars, an increase of about two million dollars compared to the same period last year. The top exports include pipes, aircraft parts, and natural wines. In twenty twenty-four, Georgia's total exports to the U.S. reached 141 million dollars, up from $97 million dollars in twenty twenty-three.

Forbes' updated billionaire ranking shows that Bidzina Ivanishvili’s net worth has dropped to 2.7 billion dollars in twenty twenty-five, a loss of 2.2 billion dollars compared to twenty twenty-four. Despite this significant decrease, he still ranks among the 1,500 richest people in the world.

Bloomberg’s list, however, presents a much more favorable picture. According to their data for this year, Ivanishvili’s net worth is nearly $7.5 billion dollars, placing him comfortably within the top 500 richest people globally.

In more numbers, the National Statistic Office published on Monday, the 28th, that the trend of declining birth rate has continued in twenty twenty-four. Last year saw a bit over 39,000 new babies born, marking an almost 2% decrease from the previous year. The rate has been steadily dropping since twenty sixteen, when it peaked with over 56,000 newborns.

Most babies were born in Tbilisi, while the regions of Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti in western Georgia had the worst results. The number of mothers under twenty-five has fallen, while those over forty have increased.

With an almost 3% increase in death rate compared to twenty twenty-four, last year saw a natural population drop in the country by 4,000 people.

Fewer marriages were registered, and the average age for first marriages increased.

Finally, on Friday, the 28th, the Police arrested an individual in Tbilisi who ran an online scheme to scam people out of money for tickets to a fake Sting concert. The British musician is very popular in Georgia, and with more and more big foreign acts, like Guns N' Roses, visiting the country, the Facebook advertisement leading to a legitimate-looking website didn't raise concerns for dozens of people.

The Prosecutor's Office states that the victims suffered significant financial losses, and the perpetrator could face five to seven years in prison.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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Nakhvamdis!