**US Warns Georgia: Don’t Let Autocrats Win**
The US Helsinki Commission has expressed strong concerns about the ruling Georgian Dream party. They say GD is taking Georgia away from its path to European and American friendship, and towards countries that don’t respect democracy.
GD is getting closer to authoritarian states like Iran and China. This worries the US, because it means Georgia could become a place where these countries can do business and spread their ideas. The Commission says this would be bad for Georgia’s people and its relationships with Western countries.
The Commission points out that GD has already made deals with Iran and China. They note that Georgian Prime Minister Kobakhidze visited the Iranian president’s inauguration, which shows how close they are becoming.
**US Wants Accountability**
The US Helsinki Commission has called on American authorities to make sure GD faces consequences for its actions several times in the past two years. They have complained about human rights violations and asked for sanctions against those responsible.
The US State Department has already taken some action. On December 12, they imposed more visa restrictions on people associated with GD’s repressive actions. Earlier, they suspended their strategic partnership with Georgia.
**New Sanctions Coming?**
On December 18, the US State Department Spokesperson confirmed that they are preparing new sanctions against GD officials. These will be announced in the coming weeks.
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