Former U.S. Ambassador McFaul on Georgia
“Pro-Russian leaders in Georgia are taking the country in a dangerous direction,” said Michael McFaul, coordinator of the sanctions group against Russia and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, addressing the Georgian people.
McFaul responded to a statement by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who urged the ruling party, Georgian Dream, to withdraw the homophobic and propagandist anti-LGBT law, “further derailing the country from its EU path.”
“Cmon Georgians! Stop this retreat from Europe. You really want to become the next Belarus? Your pro-Russian leaders are taking you down a very bad path,” McFaul wrote.
On September 17, the Georgian Parliament passed a discriminatory and homophobic law targeting the LGBT community. The bill was supported by 84 MPs, while opposition members did not vote as they are boycotting the parliament following the majority’s approval of the “foreign agents” law.
The ruling Georgian Dream party claims the law is meant to “protect family values.” However, human rights advocates and global political figures confirm that it restricts LGBT rights and imposes censorship.
As part of this homophobic propaganda initiative, Georgian Dream also plans to amend the Constitution, for which a constitutional majority is required, something the party currently lacks. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili stated that the government aims to make these changes after the October 26 parliamentary elections, should they secure a constitutional majority.
European Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell reacted to the law’s passage with a post on X: “The Georgian Parliament adopted laws on ‘family values and protection of minors’ which will undermine the fundamental rights of the people and increase discrimination & stigmatisation.”
Former U.S. Ambassador McFaul on Georgia