U.S. sanctions Bidzina Ivanishvili
WASHINGTON. Dec 27 (Interfax) - Sanctions have been introduced against Bidzina Ivanishvili, honored chairman Georgia's ruling party Georgian Dream, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said.
Ivanishvili has been included in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list (SDN List), the U.S. Department of the Treasury said.
No details on this decision are currently available.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement published on the U.S. Department of State website that the United States blames Ivanishvili "for undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation."
"We strongly condemn Georgian Dream's actions under Ivanishvili's leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protestors, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures," the U.S. Department of State said in its release.
Meanwhile, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists on Friday that the imposition of U.S. sanctions on Georgian Dream honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili changes nothing with, as informal sanctions were at work.
"I have just spoken to Bidzina Ivanishvili and his position is analogous to our assessment: over the past three years he has served Georgia's interests and been effectively under sanctions, so nothing changed," Kobakhidze said.
The sanctions against Ivanishvili have no weight, he said.
The sanctions are not a punishment but a "reward for saving Georgia," he said.
A parliamentary election, which the ruling party Georgian Dream won, was held in Georgia on October 26. The election was followed by protests demanding the annulment of the election outcome.
A new wave of protests began after statements by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on November 26 saying that Tbilisi would not start talks with Brussels on Georgia's accession to the European Union before 2028 and refused any budget grants from the EU in that period.
The U.S. Department of State earlier said the U.S. had suspended strategic partnership with Georgia due to Tbilisi's decision to postpone the talks on its accession to the EU and the use of force against protesters. Blinken later condemned the Georgian authorities' actions on the protesters against Georgia's European integration and threatened to toughen the sanctions against Tbilisi.
On December 13, the U.S. Department of State said it had banned the issuance of U.S. visas to some citizens of Georgia. The restrictions affected 20 people, including government ministers, law enforcement and security officials, and individuals.