According to information from Politico, Washington is considering the possibility of a broad package of economic and security support for Georgia, but with a condition: the country’s government must abandon its anti-Western rhetoric and halt the retreat in the field of human rights.
Republican congressman Joe Wilson
The bill that will soon be introduced in Congress envisions the beginning of negotiations between the US and Georgia regarding the establishment of a «reliable preferential trade regime», subject to the fulfillment of key political criteria.
In addition to gaining access to US markets, this bill also includes liberalization of visa regulations for Georgian citizens.
There is also mention of the possibility of developing a military support package for the country, including «the supply of security and defense equipment, ideally suited for territorial defense against Russian aggression, as well as accompanying elements of training, technical maintenance, and operational support.»
However, the program will only be activated if the US confirms «significant and sustained progress by Georgia in the revitalization of democracy,» which is evidenced by, at a minimum, fair and free elections and a balanced pre-election environment.
Wilson’s bill also includes the imposition of individual sanctions against politicians from the ruling party «Georgian Dream» and other officials if they adopt a bill on «foreign agents» following the Russian model.
The bill, which will soon be voted on in parliament, considers Western-funded non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and campaigns as foreign agents, which critics say could be used to force them to silence and delegitimize government criticism.
Joe Wilson and the MEGOBARI Act
Joe Wilson is the chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, an independent US government agency responsible for monitoring freedom and democracy across the continent. His bill, the «MEGOBARI Act» (Mobilization and Empowerment of Georgia to Bolster Accountability, Resilience, and Independence), reflects the concerns of other leaders in Washington.
