On 23 March, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee held hearings on the political crisis in Georgia, marking the first hearing in the committee following a leadership change in the Senate. The US Senators warned about a possible termination of financial and other assistance if democratic processes slow down or stop in Georgia.

Senator Ross Johnson initiated the hearings, saying that this is “an important signal for both the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition to help them sit down at the negotiating table again.” The meeting was chaired by Democratic Senator Jean Shaheen. The meeting was attended by two senior State Department officials – Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent and Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Kara McDonald.

Kent and McDonald said that the feuding Georgian parties were in principle committed to the US’s top priority: adopting a series of election reforms laid out by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). But the mediation has been stymied by inflexibility on the issues of the detained opposition figures and the opposition’s demand to hold new elections. “I will be honest: both sides look to us to deliver the other side,” Kent said. “And in the end, while we can cajole and push, they have to own this process,” he added. 

“Failure to reach a political agreement will damage Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Political leaders of Georgia must show will and resolve the political crisis, responsibility for both success and failure lies solely with them,” said Kent. Commenting on Melia’s detention, George Kent said that “the responsibility lies with everyone, including Melia himself, who violated the conditions of his detention by publicly throwing away his electronic bracelet at the rally,” and that his arrest was a step back on Georgia’s democratic path.

Senator Shaheen was even more critical over the entire context in Georgia. “OSCE observers stated that the parliamentary elections in October 2020 were held in a competitive environment, albeit with numerous violations. Nevertheless, the country needs electoral reform. It is not enough to hold legitimate elections. You also need to have democratic mechanisms to resolve differences. Mechanisms deemed fair by all participants in the democratic process,” she said. Shaheen also underscored the issue with the Georgian courts, saying that US support for Georgia would depend on developing an independent judiciary in the country. McDonald also expressed her concerns regarding the judiciary in the country, saying that there was a politicisation of the judicial system, the dominance of the ruling party in all institutions and pressure on civil society 

Senator Shaheen also said that the current crisis in the country bears only profit to Russia. “Right now, given the current impasse in Georgia, the only party who’s winning is Russia. Russia thrives from disorder and chaos, and every day that members of the opposition sit in jail is a victory for Russia. Every day that Georgian parliamentary seats are empty is a disservice to the people of Georgia and a victory for Russia. That’s why I’m surprised that both parties have allowed the crisis to last so long,” Shaheen added. 

Senator Jim Risch was even harsher towards Georgia, asking the committee if it is worth tightening the conditions for the provision of military and foreign aid to Georgia, in particular, setting a probationary period for it. “If democracy does not work in Georgia, it will lose the chance for Euro-Atlantic integration. Now the country clearly shows how the oligarch influences the media and the judicial system. This is a departure from democracy. The Georgian government bears serious responsibility for the current crisis, and its deepening poses a threat to the pro-Western future of the country,” he stressed.  

The other senators did not dismiss the ideas voiced by Risch. “The issue of conditionality is something we have looked at in other circumstances as well, your colleagues have put that on Ukraine’s security assistance, for instance, so I think it’s something to consider. We have to absolutely be considering all approaches and constantly looking at what approaches and tools might be helpful,” Kent replied. 

Evaluating the messages voiced at the hearings in the US Senate, politicians, media and experts in Georgia all fell into the same two camps. Supporters of the ruling party believe that they have received support, while the opposition claimed that there was harsh criticism from the United States. 

“Given the assessments made in the senate, the opposition will have to take reciprocal steps to reach an agreement, and their attempt to present only a participation in the negotiations as a compromise on their part will not be perceived as such. Although the Georgian political spectrum will attempt interpreting the views expressed in the Senate in their way, the facts are that the Senate assessed Georgia as a pro-western democratic state and a leader in the region, while the GD, as a pro-western force, achieving significant progress which has brought us closer to our strategic goal – to apply for EU membership in 2024. Naturally, there has been concern that the opposition leader is in custody, although it was highlighted that the rule of law is an inviolable value that everyone, including representatives of the opposition, must uphold,” said the deputy parliament speaker and member of the GD Kakha Kuchava. 

“I think everyone who listened to this hearing in detail realised that our strategic partners in Washington at this stage are placing quite high expectations on the ongoing negotiation process. We heard messages, especially addressed at the GD authorities, despite there also being calls towards both sides. Numerous senators highlighted the special role that falls on the government in this case. Also, yesterday an initiative was voiced to start working on the senate resolution on Georgia and there was a talk of revising the principles of financial assistance to Georgia based on conditionality principle. This future is largely determined by the position that the Georgian Dream will take in the negotiation process,” said Salome Samadashvili from the UNM. A similar opinion was voiced by the European Georgia representatives, additionally highlighting that Russia wins the moist from the current turmoil. 

“The US is telling us quite clearly and unequivocally that if the mediation efforts to resolve this crisis are once again deliberately derailed by the Georgian Dream, then Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration will be off the table. Georgia’s fate will be injured, and the stability of the country will be weakened as a result,” said Grigol Gegelia from Lelo.