Another leader of the Georgian opposition coalition, Aleko Elisashvili, was arrested following the demonstrations and clashes that have been taking place in front of Parliament for days. Tension remains very high in the country after the disputed victory in the elections of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, which was then aggravated by the government’s decision to suspend negotiations for membership of the European Union “until the end of 2028”.
After more than 300 people were arrested during the demonstrations, the United States condemned the police crackdown on protesters and threatened sanctions. And sanctions were ordered by Volodymyr Zelensky’s Ukraine against the billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili who was the founder of Georgian Dream.
The arrest
Elisashvili was arrested because, according to the Interior Ministry, he attacked the head of the National Congress of Azerbaijanis in Georgia, Ali Babayev, injuring him. Elisashvili was arrested after Babayev reported the incident to the police. In April Elisashvili, who was a member of the Georgian parliament at the time, punched the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction, Mamuka Mdinaradze, in the Chamber.
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The attack had sparked a brawl during a heated debate over the disputed “foreign agents” law, considered Russian-inspired. Elisashvili at the time but was not subjected to investigation as he was a parliamentarian. The independent television station Pirveli reported that Zurab Datunashvili, a two-time world wrestling champion, had also been arrested with Elisashvili because he was involved in a scuffle with plainclothes security officers deployed to keep an eye on the protesters.
The sanctions
For its part, the United States “strongly” condemned the “brutal and unjustified violence of the Georgian Dream party” against pro-EU protesters and threatened to approve further sanctions against the government in the Caucasian country. This was announced by the head of American diplomacy, Anthony Blinken. “The United States strongly condemns the Georgian Dream party’s brutal and unjustified violence against the nation’s citizens, protesters, members of the media, and opposition figures,” Blinken said in a statement, adding that Washington is “preparing now” to the possibility of imposing further sanctions.
And sanctions were imposed by Ukraine. Zelenskiy said that former Prime Minister Ivanishvili and some members of the Georgian government were targeted. In all, Kiev imposed sanctions on 19 people, including the head of the State Security Service and the Interior Minister. “These sanctions are against the part of the Georgian government that is handing Georgia over to Russian President Vladimir Putin,” Zelensky said. Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, is considered the most influential figure in Georgian politics.
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Zelensky accused those on whom he imposed sanctions of “selling out the interests of Georgia and its people” and called on Ukraine’s European partners and the United States to act. “This is how it works in international affairs: if you don’t respond in time or don’t respond with principle, decades are lost and countries are robbed of their freedom,” Zelenskiy added. The decades-long sanctions include restrictions on financial operations, entry into Ukraine and property rights in Ukraine.
No more visa exemptions
The Netherlands, on the other hand, is not asking for sanctions but wants the European Union to suspend visa exemption agreements with the nation. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said he would submit a formal request to the EU “to make it clear to the Georgian government that the path taken carries risks”. Georgian citizens can currently travel to the EU for short visits without needing a visa.
