Congressman John Olszewski: The "MEGOBARI Act" is a response to the deteriorating democratic situation in Georgia – it shows the Georgian people that we stand with them in their pursuit of democracy

The "MEGOBARI Act" is a response to the deteriorating democratic situation in Georgia – this was stated by Congressman Johnny Olszewski (Democratic Party) during his speech in the U.S. House of Representatives, where the "MEGOBARI Act" is under discussion.

In his speech, the Congressman spoke about Georgia’s “success story,” the threat from Russia, and Georgia’s mission in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Following the fall of communism, and especially after the Rose Revolution of 2003, the Georgian people spent years successfully building democracy and a market economy, while also striving toward integration with the European Union and NATO. The United States, along with its European partners, played a crucial role in opening the path of integration for Georgia and providing support for necessary reforms. Georgia’s story is a success story. Russia invaded Georgia during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and occupied 20% of its territory. Despite the constant threat from Russia, Georgians have continued to pursue democratic reforms and have made significant contributions to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as this bill notes,” said Johnny Olszewski.

According to him, democratic progress is fragile and requires constant attention.

“In February 2023, the Georgian government introduced a foreign agents bill in Parliament, which it claimed was aimed at transparency. However, the bill sought to impose severe restrictions on civil society organizations and independent media, stigmatizing them as foreign agents. Following warnings and waves of protests from partners in the U.S. and Europe, the government withdrew the bill – but reintroduced it in April 2024. This time, despite mass protests, the President’s veto, additional warnings from the U.S. Congress, the Biden administration, and the European Union, Georgia’s Parliament passed the bill. Another stark example of democratic backsliding was the parliamentary elections held in the fall of 2024, which were neither free nor fair.

This bill is a response to the worsening democratic situation in Georgia. It shows the Georgian people that we stand with them in their pursuit of democracy, that we respect their rights, and that we support deeper integration into the Euro-Atlantic community. It creates a framework for appropriate cooperation with Georgia’s government in the future. I look forward to its passage and hope that it will have the desired effect – to show the people of Georgia that Congress is watching closely, that the United States cares about them, and that we want to help ensure their future lies with Europe and NATO,” the Congressman stated.