As Protests Continue in Georgia, Shaheen, Risch Speak on Senate Floor in Support of Georgian People and Democracy, Urge Administration to Act to Hold Bad Actors Accountable

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member of SFRC, spoke on the Senate floor today in support of the Georgian people’s aspirations to align with the West and to urge the Biden Administration to take strong action against individuals in Georgia responsible for the current violence and political crisis. Earlier this month, the Georgian Dream government suspended its bid to join the European Union, which led to peaceful protests that were met with brute force. You can watch Senator Shaheen’s remarks here and Senator Risch’s remarks here.

In her remarks, Senator Shaheen said: “In the aftermath [of the October election in Georgia], the Georgian Dream government decided to yank Georgia off of its Euro Atlantic path. It announced the country would cease negotiating with the European Union over its accession to the bloc. Of course, it’s a move that pleased Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin and reinforced to many his influence over the politics and the policy of Georgia. […] I’m very frustrated because, in my view, we are not doing enough. We have failed to respond in a meaningful way that would help change the calculus of Georgian Dream’s leadership. They are paying no price for their actions as they defy the will of the people and take pages from Putin’s authoritarian playbook. There are well documented human rights violations, but the Treasury Department has failed to sanction a single official for their actions. It’s perplexing—I don't understand it, and I urge the Administration to act immediately. Georgia’s future is in jeopardy, and the Georgian people who have repeatedly supported us deserve our support.”

In his remarks, Senator Risch said: “Roughly 80% of the people of Georgia want to pursue EU membership. Unfortunately, the current government – Georgian Dream – is engaging in increasingly disturbing behavior, including the arrest and torture of peaceful protestors. Congress passed legislation that gives the Biden Administration the ability to go in and levy sanctions on those responsible for the violence. I am deeply disappointed that they haven’t done that. The Georgian people don’t want to drift back to the Soviet Union or to Russia. Let’s give them every help that we possibly can to support their democratic aspirations.”

Shaheen and Risch have been outspoken about their concern for the deteriorating situation in Georgia and spoke with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili last week to convey their bipartisan support for her leadership and express serious concern over the violent and brutal response to peaceful protests.

Shaheen and Risch led bipartisan legislation, the Georgian People’s Act, that would hold Georgian government officials and individuals responsible for corruption, human rights abuses and efforts to advance the foreign influence law that when passed, cast Georgia’s civil society as dangerous outside agents.  

In August, Shaheen led a bipartisan, bicameral Congressional delegation to Georgia with U.S. Congressman Michael Turner (R-OH), Chair of the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. During their visit, Senator Shaheen and Chair Turner met with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani to once again raise concerns about democratic backsliding following the passage of the foreign agents law and anti-Western rhetoric and communicate the United States’ commitment to its longstanding partnership with people of Georgia to achieve a Euro-Atlantic future.

Before the trip, Shaheen and Risch issued a statement welcoming action by the U.S. State Department to pause $95 million in assistance to the government of Georgia following passage of a foreign agents law. Shaheen first visited Georgia as an election observer with Senator Risch in 2012. She has visited the nation three times since. 

In the annual defense legislation, Shaheen secured report language that would require the Department of Defense to report to Congress on its review of security cooperation activities with Georgia in light of political unrest.

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