"I applaud the U.S. Embassy for such an action" - Ian Kelly on the expulsion of Judge Chikvadze from the program
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GAIN YOUR FREEDOM TOGETHER WITH US!
Former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Ian Kelly says it's time for the U.S. to make it clear to the Georgian government that they are moving in the wrong direction.
Kelly talked about this on the Mtavari Channel's "Guest of the Day" program.
Kelly discussed a joint article by him and David Kramer about the current political situation in Georgia. He said the article lists arguments that "show that the government has chosen the wrong course," including a complete seizure of power as well as the marginalization and arrests of opponents.
Ian Kelly also discussed the case of Ukraine and Moldova, saying that certain types of sanctions were applied to oligarchs who undermined democracy in those countries. According to Kelly, it's time to impose sanctions against a force in Georgia that operates behind the scenes.
"We think it's time for the United States to impose similar sanctions on the unaccountable force we're seeing in Georgia. The United States has imposed travel restrictions on Kolomoisky in Ukraine and the Moldovan oligarch, and unfortunately Georgia is following the same path where there is an unaccountable force operating behind the scenes. We hate to say it, but the United States needs to send a very clear message to show that we think Georgia has chosen the wrong path and is going down the wrong path," Kelly said.
The diplomat also reacted to the US embassy's decision to expel Lasha Chkhikvadze, judge in the case of Nika Gvaramia, from the program to prevent him from traveling to the United States.
Kelly welcomes the decision and believes it is only fair that the U.S. impose certain restrictions on individuals who oppose their interests.
"The United States and Georgia are sovereign nations, and we have the right to deny entry to anyone we deem to be acting against our national interests, and if the State Department chooses to participate in a U.S.-funded program aimed at judicial independence, they were authorized to that denial. This is funded by the taxpayer, and the taxpayer is probably not happy with funding a man who is a judge but responds to the wishes of the executive branch and carries them out, this is absolutely unacceptable. applaud the embassy for such an action," Kelly told Mtavari Channel's "Guest of the Day" program.
