Tension Rises: US Visa Restrictions on Georgia Over 'Foreign Agents' Bill

Georgia's ruling party accuses the US of employing 'threats and blackmail' over a 'foreign agents' bill. This prompted the US to impose visa restrictions and review bilateral relations. The head of Georgia's ruling party dismissed the US sanctions as 'comical.'

Georgia's ruling party on Friday accused the United States of pursuing a policy of "threats and blackmail" against Georgia and of trying to restrict the country's independence by seeking to kill off a piece of domestic legislation.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Thursday that the U.S. was imposing new visa restrictions on Georgia and launching a review of bilateral cooperation between the countries over a "foreign agents" bill which is being pushed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Earlier on Friday, the head of the ruling party's faction in the Georgian parliament said the U.S. decision on visa sanctions was "comical."