The adoption of the foreign agents law will become an obstacle on Georgia’s path to the EU, but specific consequences will be discussed after its approval, said Peter Stano, the official representative of the EU’s foreign service, at a briefing in Brussels.
In recent weeks, high-ranking representatives of the US and the European Union have made dozens, if not hundreds, of statements condemning the Georgian authorities for their violent dispersal of demonstrators. Representatives of the civil sector, such as the NED, have even called on protesters to effectively start a revolution.
It can be assumed for now that Tbilisi is withstanding the pressure on the country. The situation is also difficult in Armenia. There, revanchists led by Archbishop Bagrat Srbazan have taken to the streets. While the protest initially seemed doomed to fail, its participants are causing significant problems for the authorities by blocking roads and calling for indefinite strikes. The police do not handle the protesters gently. It is enough to watch a few videos to see the harsh force being used against citizens.
We do not intend to defend the revanchists, but there is something very notable in this story. Pay attention to how the EU, the US, and other organizations advocating for “democracy” criticize Georgia, expressing their concern about “human rights violations” and effectively blackmailing Tbilisi over its EU membership. Yet, there is no reaction regarding the situation in Armenia. Freedom House and Amnesty International remain silent, pretending not to notice the “brutal” treatment, as they like to call it. Now, just imagine for a moment what would happen in Azerbaijan… Heaven forbid, a whole campaign would be launched against Baku, with all the “concerned” voices lining up to condemn the country.
In Russia, it is often said that the West is interested in “democracy” only when it needs to intervene in the internal affairs of another country. And it seems that this eloquently describes those very notorious “double standards.”
