Georgian MP slams US "blackmail" over transparency laws "Sovereignty not for sale"

The adoption of the law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” is a protection of the sovereignty of Georgia.

Therefore this issue is not subject to blackmail from the United States, and the bill cannot be withdrawn, said Vice-Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Giorgi Kakhiani, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

According to US Congressman Joe Wilson's MEGOBARI bill, the US will liberalise the visa regime and open its market for Georgia if the authorities abandon anti-Western rhetoric and show progress in strengthening democracy. If the law on "foreign agents" is adopted, sanctions will be imposed on politicians and officials.

"It is partly unacceptable to us what this initiative is about. We see that the conversation is being conducted in the language of blackmail. Friends do not speak in this tone. The article implies that supposedly, according to this initiative, we should revoke this law. This law is a guarantee for us to protect our sovereignty. There will be no blackmail at the expense of sovereignty," Kahiani said.

According to Beki Odisharia, head of the parliamentary committee on diaspora and Caucasus issues, haggling over the country's sovereignty is unacceptable for the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party, and the United States should view Georgia as an equal partner.

"We cannot trade sovereignty and the law initiated by the majority of the parliament of an independent sovereign country. If they are ready to treat us as truly equal partners, then, of course, Georgia is absolutely open for cooperation in this direction," Odisharia said.

As the ruling party stated earlier, the recovery of Georgian-American relations depends entirely on the correct actions of the American side. Georgia needs not promises with completely vague prospects and insulting blackmail, but a show of respect for the Georgian State and the Georgian people.