WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on the founder of Georgia鈥檚 ruling political party, which has steered the country away from a pro-Western stance and towards Russia, U.S. officials said Friday.
The State and Treasury departments said they hit Georgian Dream party founder and honorary chairman with penalties 鈥渇or undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation," according to a statement.
The designation of Ivanishvili is the latest in a series of sanctions the U.S. has slapped on Georgian politicians, lawmakers and others this year. Those sanctions include freezes on assets and properties those targeted may have in U.S. jurisdictions or that might enter U.S. jurisdictions as well as travel bans on the targets and members of their families.
鈥淲e strongly condemn Georgian Dream鈥檚 actions under Ivanishvili鈥檚 leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protestors, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures,鈥 the State Department said in a statement. 鈥淭he United States is committed to promoting accountability for those undermining democracy and human rights in Georgia."
Ivanishvili is a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia and served briefly as Georgia鈥檚 prime minister. In 2012, he founded Georgian Dream, Georgia鈥檚 longtime ruling party.
Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights, prompting the European Union to suspend Georgia鈥檚 membership application process indefinitely.
In October, Georgian Dream won another term in a divisive parliamentary election that has led to more mass protests. Last month, the country鈥檚 prime minister, , announced a four-year suspension of talks on Georgia's bid to join the European Union, fueling
