**Georgian Dream’s Dark Clouds: US Sanctions Loom Large**
The United States House of Representatives has recently supported the “MEGOBARI Act,” a bill that aims to hold Georgian officials accountable for human rights violations and undermining democracy. According to Giorgi Rukhadze, founder of the Strategic Analysis Center, this development will be a heavy blow for the ruling party, “Georgian Dream.”
Rukhadze appeared on the PalitraNews program “Daily Newsroom” and stated that the sanctions will put massive pressure on Ivanishvili’s regime. He explained that once the bill becomes law, the US administration and State Department will regularly review the situation in Georgia and impose sanctions on those responsible for undermining democracy.
**Sanctions to Target High-Ranking Officials**
The sanctions will not only affect high-ranking officials of “Georgian Dream” but also their family members. Rukhadze used the example of Gomelauri, a prominent figure in the ruling party, stating that even buying a cake might become difficult for him due to financial sanctions.
“This person is lost,” Rukhadze said, emphasizing that many high-ranking officials will suffer the same fate as Gomelauri. He also mentioned that Gharibashvili, another influential figure in “Georgian Dream,” believes he has escaped the sanctions, but Rukhadze assured that this is not the case.
**The ‘Deep State’ Nonsense**
Rukhadze also addressed a statement made by Kaladze, a high-ranking official in “Georgian Dream.” Kaladze had mentioned something about the “Deep State,” which Rukhadze deemed nonsensical. He questioned why Kaladze and his supporters believe that there is a “Deep State” in Germany, France, and other countries but not in Russia or China.
Rukhadze sarcastically asked Kaladze to explain what “Deep State” means in Georgian, saying it would be funny if people didn’t take this seriously. He pointed out the contradictions in Kaladze’s statement, stating that there are many “Deep States” and that it is not clear where they exist.
**Next Steps for the MEGOBARI Act**
The “MEGOBARI Act” has now been supported by 349 congressmen in the US House of Representatives. The bill must still be approved by the US Senate before becoming law. Once passed, it will impose sanctions on Georgian officials for human rights violations and undermining democracy.
As Rukhadze stated, this development will be a heavy blow for “Georgian Dream,” and their supporters should take note that there are real consequences to undermining democracy.
