Georgia's ruling party accuses US of blackmail over sanctions

US sanctions against Georgia are being viewed as an attempt to limit the country's sovereignty, according to the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party.

The political council of the party characterized Washington's actions as blackmail, Caliber.Az reports citing Georgian media. This statement was shared on the organization's Facebook page.

The controversy arose after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that the US would impose visa restrictions on Georgia due to the recently adopted law on foreign agents. Blinken stated that the sanctions would target individuals involved in the suppression of civil society through violence or intimidation.

"The statement made on behalf of Anthony Blinken and the blackmail with visa restrictions is nothing but a blatant attempt to limit Georgia's independence and sovereignty, which is especially cynical against the background that Georgia is celebrating National Independence Day in two days' time," the party's statement reads.

Representatives of the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party called the threat of sanctions by the US Secretary of State an unprecedented case in world politics. They noted that it is rare for an official from one country to threaten a lawmaker from another country with sanctions simply for voting in favour of a transparency law. The party's statement suggested that this incident "will be written in grey letters" in the history of world politics.