US Congress throws down gauntlet to Georgian Dream – Eurasianet

Georgian Dream leaders in Tbilisi may consider themselves ideologically aligned with the Trump administration, and see the US Congress as putty in the president’s hands. But that does not mean Congress is simpatico with Georgian Dream’s political course.
The US House of Representatives is ramping up pressure on Georgia, an erstwhile US ally in the South Caucasus. With strong bipartisan support, the House has passed the MEGOBARI Act on May 5, legislation that targets Georgian officials responsible for the country’s democratic backsliding over the past few years. 
Once seen as a pro-Western stronghold in the turbulent South Caucasus region, Georgian Dream leaders have taken Georgia is a sharply different direction, shunning Western values and democratic practices, taking steps to stifle dissent, halting the European Union accession process and moving back towards Russia’s geopolitical sphere.
The House-adopted act responds to these developments by providing for heavy sanctions on those in charge of pivoting Georgia away from the West, as well as recalibrating the US approach to supporting democracy in the country. The legislation’s name carries symbolic weight for those in Georgia who are resisting Georgian Dream’s efforts to build an authoritarian system: the MEGOBARI Act is an acronym for Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence, and it also means “friend” in Georgian. 
Proponents of the act say it is intended to help place Georgia back on track towards Euro-Atlantic integration.
“In the Georgian language, ‘megobari’ means ‘friend,’ and this bill reflects the powerful friendship and partnership between the United States and the Georgian people,” said Chairman Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican who co-chairs the US Helsinki Commission and is the bill’s sponsor.
“The Ivanishvili regime seeks to undermine Georgian freedom. I stand with the Georgian people and the legitimate President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, in their call for free and fair elections,” Wilson said in a statement. “This bill provides Georgian Dream officials with a choice to abandon the would-be dictator [Bidzina] Ivanishvili or face sanctions. There is still time to save Georgia’s sovereignty!”
After securing overwhelming approval in the House on May 6, the act headed to the US Senate for consideration. The Senate placed it on its legislative calendar the same day. If it wins approval in the Senate, it will head to President Trump’s desk for signing.
Georgian Dream leaders attempted to downplay the act’s significance. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called it “absolutely hostile and unfriendly,” claiming its passage in the House marked a victory for the “deep state” over the Trump administration.
“The battle between Trump and the ‘deep state’ continues”, Kobakhidze said. “When decisions like this are made, it means that, at that moment, the ‘deep state’ has prevailed over the Trump administration. … We remain optimistic that the Trump administration will ultimately defeat the deep state. If that happens, we believe the relationship between the US and Georgia will be restored.“
In broad terms, the legislation states that it is aimed at countering “the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, the Iranian Regime, and the Russian Federation in the nation of Georgia.” 
Wilson introduced the bill in January, but the catalyst for it was Georgian Dream’s adoption of the ‘foreign agents’ law in May of last year. This was soon followed by disputed parliamentary elections in October, followed by the Georgian Dream party’s tightening control over government, media, civil society, and individual liberties. Tensions escalated as Georgian officials accused the US Embassy of “coordinated work against the Georgian state,” prompting Washington to respond.
The provisions in the act, as approved by the House, cover nearly every sector affected by Georgia’s authoritarian shift. It requires Georgia to restore its pro-EU/NATO path or face suspended US partnerships and aid. The bill also directs US intelligence agencies to gather information on Russian and Chinese influence in Georgia, calls for the release of political prisoners and demands a transparent investigation into 2024 election irregularities. It also provides for support to civil society groups and independent media organizations.
After the bill passed, Wilson posted a list on social media of individuals he called “enablers of the America-hating Ivanishvili mafia,” including government officials, judges, business leaders, and media figures. He warned they would “face the consequences” for aiding Ivanishvili.
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