US House of Representatives passes Georgia Support Act

By Khatia Bzhalava

Friday, April 29, 2022

The document supports Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic and European integration as well as the right of the Georgian people to freely determine their future.

The document will be sent to the U.S. Senate and If approved by the relevant Senate committees and the plenary session, it will be sent to the U.S. President.

The US House of Representatives has approved the Georgia Support Act establishing a strong strategic partnership between the two countries at the legislative level. Co-chairs of the Georgia Caucus, US Congressmen Gerry Connolly and Adam Kinzinger, reintroduced the bill in the House on February 8, 2021. The document currently has 19 co-sponsors from both the Democratic and Republican parties. The document will be sent to the U.S. Senate and If approved by the relevant Senate committees and the plenary session, it will be sent to the U.S. President.

“Georgia Support Act supports Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders; Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic and European integration; the right of the people of Georgia to freely determine their future and make independent and sovereign choices on foreign and security policy, without interference, intimidation, or coercion by other countries,” reads the statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

According to the statement, the bill condemns ongoing detentions, kidnappings, and other human rights violations in the Russian-occupied Georgian territories, including the recent killings of Georgian citizens Archil Tatunashvili, Giga Otkhozoria, Davit Basharuli, and others. The bill calls for the imposition of sanctions on persons responsible for human rights abuses, including the right to life.

In this regard, the document emphasizes the need for urging the Russian Federation to fully implement the European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008. The legislation also supports the establishment of international security mechanisms in the occupied Georgian regions and the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees.

The bill also focuses on Georgia-U.S. defense and security cooperation as well as the strengthening of Georgia’s capabilities to defend itself. In this regard, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of other appropriate United States departments and agencies, has been instructed to unveil a five-year strategy to enhance Georgia’s deterrence, resilience, and self-defense capabilities.

The bill calls on the United States to enhance the capabilities of Georgia in terms of combating Russian disinformation and propaganda campaigns as well.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili echoed the approval of the Georgia Support Act by the US House of Representatives, saying that the bill ‘ reaffirms the strength and advances robust US-Georgia strategic partnership’.

“Grateful to the US House, its leadership and Georgia Caucus co-chairs Adam Kinzinger and Gerry Connolly for supporting Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, democracy, and NATO integration,” he wrote on Twitter.