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Britain’s sanctions against Georgia’s interior minister damage relations — MFA

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili told British Ambassador Gareth Ward that "an objective and unbiased assessment of the developments in Georgia is essential"

TBILISI, December 20. /TASS/. Sanctions against Georgian Interior Ministry officials by the UK, including against Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, undermine the friendship between the two countries, Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili said at a meeting with British Ambassador Gareth Ward.

"At the meeting, the Georgian side voiced concern over the introduction of sanctions by the United Kingdom against Georgian officials. Maka Bochorishvili clarified that such actions harm the existing friendship between the two countries," the Georgian Foreign Ministry's press service said in a statement.

Bochorishvili also told the ambassador, who was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, that "an objective and unbiased assessment of the developments in Georgia is essential." At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed hope that cooperation between Tbilisi and London would return to its prior level.

On Thursday, Great Britain sanctioned Gomelauri, his deputy Alexander Darakhvelidze and Sulkhan Tamazashvili, head of the Tbilisi Police Department. Head of the Special Tasks Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Zviad Kharazishvili, who leads Georgia's special forces, and his deputy Mileri Lagazauri were also placed on the sanctions list.

The reason stated for the measures is that the Georgian law enforcement agencies' leadership "is responsible for activity which amounts to a serious violation of the right of individuals not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." According to the statement, during the protests in the country, the Georgian Interior Ministry authorized "excessive use of force by the police against protesters," and Georgian police officers allegedly attacked opposition leaders and journalists.

A new wave of protests began in Georgia on November 28. Rallies are held daily in front of the parliament building. The first week of protests was the most intense. Some of the demonstrators were launching pyrotechnics at police, who, in turn, were using water cannons and tear gas. In recent days, the protests have become peaceful. The reason for the protests was Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement that the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party had decided to delay any negotiations on the accession into the European Union until late 2028 and reject any funding from it.

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