News - State Department notes conditions under which US will resume assistance to Georgia government

The US will be ready to resume its assistance programs to the Georgian government if the latter abandons its anti-Western and anti-democratic policy. Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, noted about this at Wednesday’s Department press briefing. He explained the US decision to suspend its assistance programs to the Georgian authorities with the latter’s anti-Western policy. "The US is taking this step due to the Georgian Government’s recent anti-democratic actions and false statements that are incompatible with membership norms both in the European Union and NATO," Patel said. He recalled that polls confirm the wish of the absolute majority of the Georgian people to join the EU, but the actions of their government are taking the country in the opposite direction. "We’ll continue to urge the Georgian Government to return to the path of democracy and Euro-Atlantic integration by repealing the foreign influence law, withdrawing other problematic legislation, ending its disinformation campaign, and committing to conduct the elections and pre-election season transparently and allowing international and domestic monitors," Patel emphasized, adding that these actions would be “consistent with receiving support from the United States as a democratic partner.” Patel added that the current tension between Tbilisi and Washington does not mean a change in the US attitude towards the Georgian people, and the US “will continue to support programs and activities that benefit the people of Georgia by strengthening democracy, rule of law, independent media, and economic development.” The registry for the registration of NGOs and media in Georgia with a considerable share of foreign funding has been launched in the country today—and on the basis of the recently passed law on "foreign agents."