US sanctions Bidzina Ivanishvi, founder of Georgia’s ruling party

The United States has sanctioned Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s former prime minister and founder of the governing Georgian Dream party, amid protests against a pause in European Union accession efforts.

In a statement on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Ivanishvili and his party had undermined democratic institutions and “derailed Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future” to the benefit of Russia.

“Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream’s actions have eroded democratic institutions, enabled human rights abuses, and curbed the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia,” Blinken said.

Georgian Dream and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced last month that they would suspend talks on Georgia’s entry into the EU until 2028.

The announcement followed a resolution by the European Parliament that had refused to recognise the results of Georgia’s October 26 elections based on allegations of “significant irregularities”, which Kobakhidze called an act of “blackmail”.

The goal of joining the EU was added to Georgia’s constitution in 2017, and protesters took to the streets in opposition to the suspension of membership efforts.

While Kobakhidze has said that Georgia will still pursue EU membership with the goal of joining by 2030, the protests have continued in opposition to steps taken by the governing party that critics say target civil society groups and press freedom.