US to pause $95 million assistance to Georgia: Blinken

WASHINGTON

The US announced Wednesday it is pausing $95 million in assistance to Georgia as relations between the two countries remain tense concerning a controversial "foreign influence" bill.

"On May 23, after anti-democratic actions by the Georgian government, I announced a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia. As a result of that review, the United States is pausing more than $95 million in assistance that directly benefits the Government of Georgia," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Georgia’s actions are "incompatible with membership norms in the EU and NATO," but the US would continue assistance to programs and activities that benefit the people of Georgia by "strengthening democracy, rule of law, independent media, and economic development," said Blinken.

It came after the US announced earlier in July that it "indefinitely" postponed a military exercise in Georgia set to start later this month as Washington "initiated a comprehensive review" of the US-Georgia bilateral relationship.

Also in June, the State Department imposed visa restrictions on dozens of Georgian officials in response to the enactment of a "foreign agents" bill after lawmakers voted to override a presidential veto.

The controversial law requires organizations, including media outlets, which receive more than 20% of their funding from overseas to register with the state. It also requires them to publish annual financial reports.

The law was first introduced in 2023 but was shelved after it triggered mass protests that resulted in 66 arrests and injuries to more than 50 law enforcement officers. But this April it was reintroduced to parliament, reigniting protests.

Critics have said the law would undermine democracy, calling it a "Russian law," but members of the ruling majority argue it would increase transparency.