Response to Blinken's Statement in Georgia

Dmitri Khundadze, a member of the Georgian Party of People's Power, has stated that if Georgia must choose between strengthening the sovereignty of its homeland and American visas and airline tickets, the country's authorities will make the choice in favor of their homeland. This was reported by the Georgian service of Sputnik news agency.

“Members of parliament and their family members should be punished for loving their homeland and strengthening Georgia’s sovereignty. I do not expect such a harsh decision to be made, but if, nonetheless, the choice is between strengthening the sovereignty of the homeland and airline tickets and visas, then the choice will certainly be made in favor of the homeland,” Khundadze stated.

In Khundadze's opinion, when Western legislation is highly sought after in the West and there are already several countries that have adopted such laws to protect their sovereignty, while in Georgia a similar law is considered Russian, this is a “double standard.”

“Everyone in Georgia has the right, and moreover, the duty to protect the sovereignty of their country. On May 28, the Georgian parliament will lift the non-Georgian veto imposed on the Georgian law, and the law will come into effect,” Khundadze emphasized.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a policy of introducing visa restrictions for Georgia and reviewing U.S.-Georgia cooperation in response to the adoption of the 'Transparency of Foreign Influence' law.