Poland to consider imposing sanctions on Georgian ruling party members

Polish authorities are set to discuss the possibility of imposing personal sanctions against politicians from the ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party in the coming days.

This was confirmed by Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Caliber.Az reports via foreign news sources.

“We have not yet considered this issue in the government. We will make a decision after my return to Warsaw,” Sikorski stated in response to questions about Poland's plans to sanction Georgian Dream politicians.

On December 16, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, revealed that the bloc had failed to reach consensus on imposing personal sanctions against Georgian officials accused of human rights violations and repression. Kallas noted that Hungary and Slovakia blocked the initiative, with Luxembourg and several other member states also opposing sanctions against Georgian Dream.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Estonia and Lithuania, Margus Tsahkna and Kęstutis Budrys, announced sanctions against Georgian officials, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, citing alleged violence against protesters in Tbilisi. Earlier, on December 1, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia issued statements accusing Georgian authorities of human rights violations and the violent suppression of lawful protests.

The Baltic states imposed individual sanctions on 11 Georgian officials, including a ban on entry to these countries for Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chairman of Georgian Dream, as well as Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and other senior officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

By Khagan Isayev