Official announcements from the European Union or verified news sources

U.S. Sanctions Georgia's Ex-PM Ivanishvili, Founder of Ruling Party, for Undermining Democracy

Dec 27, 2024, 04:38 PM

The United States has imposed sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire and former Prime Minister of Georgia, who is the founder and honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party. The U.S. accuses Ivanishvili of undermining Georgia's democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations in favor of Russia. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated him under Executive Order 14024, which targets individuals involved in Russian malign activities. As a result, Ivanishvili's assets and interests in U.S. jurisdictions are frozen, and he is isolated from the global financial system, with U.S. citizens and companies prohibited from engaging in financial or commercial dealings with him. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the sanctions, stating that Ivanishvili's actions have enabled human rights abuses and undermined the democratic future of the Georgian people. Estonia has also sanctioned Ivanishvili and 27 other individuals for their participation in human rights violations and for suppressing legitimate protests in Georgia.