Georgia shuts the door to external pressure Cracking down foreign-funded entities

Authorities in Georgia continue cracking down on organisations suspected of attempting an unconstitutional change of power. The Tbilisi City Court recently approved a prosecutor’s request to freeze the accounts of seven NGOs funded from abroad, including via USAID. This move follows comments by former USAID chief and ex-U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, which highlighted the potential threat posed by such organisations to Georgia’s statehood.

 Russian pranksters “Vovan” and “Lexus” organized a conversation with Samantha Power, during which they discussed U.S. funding allocated under the Biden administration to strengthen the authority of Moldovan President Maia Sandu. Power admitted that USAID carried out “unprecedented investments” in Moldova, amounting to tens of millions of dollars, under the pretext of countering “Russian influence.”

These remarks were commented on by David Matikashvili, a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party. “What Power admitted is the following: for many years, USAID spent millions of dollars—huge financial resources—in various countries, including Ukraine and Moldova, to support desirable governments and eliminate undesirable authorities,” he noted.

Matikashvili emphasised that the Georgian authorities’ actions to protect their statehood from USAID’s destructive steps align with the policies of the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump, and Tbilisi expects support for its position from the White House.

“The Georgian Dream government is precisely the government that has long agreed with the policies announced by Donald Trump and openly states that USAID funds were used against democracy, to organize revolutions and chaos. The silence of the U.S. administration and the open lack of support raises many questions,” added Levan Matikashvili.

Thus, Samantha Power effectively confirmed that the “Maidan” and “color revolutions” in the post-Soviet space were funded by USAID. Apparent interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states seemed not to concern her.

As head of USAID, Power demonstrated disregard for international norms, openly supporting “Artsakh” separatists in territories of Karabakh previously occupied by Armenia. She was unconcerned that the separatists were under Kremlin protection. In such cases, USAID apparently preferred to ignore “Russian influence.”

Under the pretext of countering “Russian influence,” last year USAID attempted, through U.S.-funded pro-Western Georgian NGOs, to organize a government overthrow, accompanied by mass protests and unrest. However, the Georgian Dream party, having received a vote of confidence in the October 2024 parliamentary elections, managed to keep the situation under control, avoid bloodshed, and neutralize the organizers.

Today, there is a risk of similar attempts coinciding with Georgia’s local elections, scheduled for October 4, 2025. Thus, the interest of prosecutors and law enforcement agencies in the activities of foreign-funded NGOs appears entirely justified.

The prosecutor’s office is investigating sabotage, support for hostile foreign activities, and the financing of actions aimed against Georgia’s constitutional order and national security. According to the authorities, the NGOs’ activities went beyond their statutory purposes, with a significant portion of funds used for illegal actions.

“Investigations have established that the equipment used by participants in violent actions against law enforcement was coordinated, including through NGO funds. Specifically, funds from the Civil Society Fund, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Institute for Development of Freedom of Democracy, Defenders of Democracy, Democratic Initiative of Georgia, Sapari, and Center for Social Justice were used to purchase specialized gas masks, protective goggles, masks, balaclavas, pepper spray, and other equipment used by participants during clashes with police,” the office stated.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the leaders of these organizations called for disobedience and resistance, provided material support to those involved in unrest and their families, paid fines, legal defense costs, and other expenses—all aimed at undermining the normal functioning of law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Power’s allies from the U.S. Democratic Party expressed outrage at the actions of Georgian authorities. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sharply criticised the freezing of NGO accounts. On the social media platform X, she claimed that “Providing legal aid to protestors detained by the Georgian Dream government is not a crime. Nor is it ‘sabotage against the state.’ I continue to stand with the Georgian people and members of civil society who seek to preserve Georgia’s democracy.”

As a reminder, a year ago, when the Georgian Parliament initiated the “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence,” Shaheen contacted Samantha Power, expressing concern and calling it “analogous to the Russian foreign agent law.” Power responded: “There is no place for such a foreign agent law in Europe. Human rights and democratic principles must not only be recognised but protected.”

After this, USAID intensified funding for Georgian NGOs. However, the Georgian Dream party managed to thwart these plans. Today, with funding halted and accounts frozen, U.S. Democratic Party representatives are outraged at Tbilisi’s sovereign policy, but their ability to influence the situation is now limited.

The Trump administration not only ended USAID funding but also pursued a course toward peace in the South Caucasus. Through Washington’s mediation, a settlement is being discussed between Azerbaijan and Armenia that excludes separatism and opens communications, including the Zangezur corridor.

The current White House’s policy is in direct opposition to the line previously pursued by Samantha Power, who supported separatism in Karabakh and “revolution” in Georgia.

Vladimir Tskhvediani, Georgia, exclusively for Caliber.Az