**Georgian Government Hits Out at US Over “MEGOBARI Act”**
The Georgian government, led by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, has written an open letter to US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, criticizing the “MEGOBARI Act” – a law that targets officials from the ruling party, Georgian Dream.
In the letter, Kobakhidze claims that the legislation is “absurd” and “hostile” towards Georgia and its government, which he describes as democratically elected. The move comes ahead of an anticipated debate in the US Senate on the MEGOBARI Act, which passed the House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support.
**A Tone of Frustration**
The letter, written in a tone of frustration, conveys the Georgian Dream’s grievance that its attempts to reset relations with the US “from a clean slate” have gone ignored. The government is seeking to defend itself against criticism over democratic backsliding, repression, and anti-Western rhetoric.
**Reaction from Georgian Dream Officials**
Civil.ge has compiled a selection of remarks from both Georgian Dream officials and opposition figures in response to the letter. Mamuka Mdinaradze, GD Majority leader, praised the tone of the letter as “bold” and said that Georgia should not be afraid to speak out against injustice. Eka Sepashvili, Member of GD Parliament, People’s Power, suggested that additional measures were needed to improve relations with the US.
**Opposition Figures Weigh In**
Salome Zurabishvili, President of Georgia, described the government’s complete despair in writing the letter and said that it was a manifestation of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s failure to sort out the consequences of the MEGOBARI Act. Mamuka Khazaradze, one of the leaders of Strong Georgia, called out Ivanishvili for hijacking democratic institutions and stealing elections. Khatia Dekanoidze, leader of Unity-UNM, suggested that Ivanishvili’s decision to write the letter was driven by madness.
**Resistance Platform Statement**
The Resistance Platform released a statement rejecting Kobakhidze’s letter as not representing the will of the Georgian people, but rather the interest of a small group that has usurped power. The platform called for new, free, and fair parliamentary elections and the release of prisoners of conscience to prevent deterioration in relations with the US.
**The Way Forward**
As tensions between Georgia and the US continue to escalate, one thing is clear: a peaceful resolution to this crisis requires new elections and the release of prisoners of conscience. The international community will be watching closely as Georgia navigates this challenging period in its history.
