US Withdraws Georgian PM’s Invitation to Biden’s UN Reception, Reports Reuters

By Felix Light

TBILISI (Reuters) – The United States has withdrawn its invitation to the Prime Minister of Georgia, effectively isolating him from world leaders at a reception hosted by President Joe Biden during this week’s U.N. General Assembly, according to a U.S. official. This decision marks a significant downturn in what was once a robust bilateral relationship.

The official informed Reuters that the invitation to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze had been revoked and that the U.S. would not engage in any meetings with the Georgian delegation. This action is linked to the recent passage of a controversial "foreign agents" law in Georgia. Ongoing discussions with the Georgian government led Washington to believe that Tbilisi was deliberately undermining its prospects for membership in the European Union and NATO.

The U.S. embassy in Tbilisi pointed to the Georgian government’s actions as "anti-democratic," citing their use of disinformation and negative statements towards the U.S. and Western nations. In response, parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili dismissed the withdrawal of the invitation as "frivolous."

Georgia, which has historically maintained a pro-Western stance and has been a significant recipient of U.S. aid since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, has recently faced a deterioration of its relationships with Western powers. This has been attributed to allegations of rising authoritarianism and pro-Russian sentiments within its government.

The ruling Georgian Dream party, seen by many as closely linked to billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, enacted the "foreign agents" law despite widespread condemnation from Western countries that argue it mirrors Russian legislation that stifles dissent. The law mandates that organizations receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad must register as foreign influence agents, facing stringent disclosure requirements and steep fines for non-compliance.

As Georgian Dream prepares for an October parliamentary election, they are vying for a fourth consecutive term. Ivanishvili has suggested that a re-election could lead to a ban on the pro-Western opposition party, United National Movement. Despite being the most favored party according to polls, Georgian Dream has seen a decline in popularity since 2020, when it secured nearly half of the votes and a narrow parliamentary majority.

In a Facebook post, senior Georgian Dream member Mamuka Mdinaradze accused President Biden of attempting to bolster the Georgian opposition ahead of the election.

The deterioration in U.S.-Georgia relations continued this month when the U.S. imposed sanctions on two Georgian police commanders linked to violence against protesters opposing the foreign agents law. Meanwhile, the European Union has indicated that Georgia’s application process for membership is effectively frozen and warned that it could suspend its visa-free travel policy for Georgians if the upcoming election is not conducted freely, fairly, and peacefully.