Written questions, answers and statements

Georgia: Democracy

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Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UIN 23007, tabled on 9 January 2025

Question

Mark Ferguson
Labour
Gateshead Central and Whickham
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support democracy in Georgia.

Answer

Stephen Doughty
Labour
Cardiff South and Penarth
Commons

Answered on

16 January 2025

On 16 December I spoke with Georgian Dream's Foreign Minister, Maka Bochorishvili, about recent events in Georgia, and about Georgia's negative democratic trajectory. I stressed that police violence targeting peaceful demonstrators, opposition figures and journalists was unacceptable. On 19 December, the UK implemented sanctions against the Minister and Deputy Minister of Internal affairs and three police officials responsible for these violent actions. We have also suspended all programme support to the Georgian government, restricted defence cooperation, and limited engagement with Georgian Dream representatives. We continue to call on Georgia to realign itself with European values.

Answered by

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
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