Estonia sanctions Georgia’s prime minister and 13 officials
Photo: Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (facebook.com_margus.tsahkna)
Estonia has imposed sanctions on the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze. Additionally, 13 more Georgian officials and judges have been added to the sanctions list, informs the press service of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As noted, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna signed a directive that led to Estonia imposing sanctions on 14 high-ranking Georgian officials and judges. They have been banned from entering Estonian territory.
The sanctions were introduced in response to the violent dispersal of protests and the use of force against protesters, journalists, and opposition leaders.
"I call on all European Union countries to respond to what is happening in Georgia and to take concrete actions against those who use unjustified force and brutal violence against the people of Georgia and undermine democracy," stated the Foreign Minister.
Previously, Estonia had already imposed sanctions on 11 members of the Georgian government.
It is reported that on Monday, December 16, the Estonian Foreign Minister will participate in an EU Council meeting, where one of the agenda items will be the recent events in Georgia.
Protests in Georgia
It is worth noting that protests in Georgia have been ongoing since the end of October, following the parliamentary elections. The pro-Russian party, Georgian Dream, secured a victory and has been in power for over a decade.
Observers recorded numerous election violations and attempts at vote rigging. The Georgian opposition refused to acknowledge the election results and called for protests.
On Saturday, December 14, Georgia elected a new president. For the first time, the president was not chosen by citizens but by an electoral college, where the majority is held by the Georgian Dream party.
The winner was former footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili, the only candidate put forward by the Georgian Dream.
