U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen - a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chair of the SFRC Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation - and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, the subcommittee’s ranking member, released a bipartisan statement applauding the April 19 agreement reached in Georgia to address the ongoing political crisis.

“We stand with Georgia in its promise for democracy, and we are pleased that after six months the country has reached an agreement to address the political impasse,” said the Senators. “The political fate of Georgia not only has direct implications for its people – who are currently suffering the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on top of political instability and economic hardship – but is also a marker of the state of democracy around the world. Yesterday’s agreement is a step toward the greater pursuit of a vibrant and fully functioning democracy. We now call on all sides to come together for the benefit of the country to fully implement the agreement in its entirety, which includes election and judicial reforms to prevent future political deadlock. We stand ready to help the government of Georgia and its people to build a country that serves the needs of its citizens and ensures transparency and accountability moving forward.”

Senator Shaheen has been a leader in Congress in support of Georgia’s path toward democracy for years. Senator Shaheen previously served as an election monitor during the 2012 Georgian elections and has since encouraged Georgian lawmakers to remain committed to a path of democracy. She and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) served as election monitors together and amid this recent political crisis, have led bipartisan calls in Congress for the Georgian government to release all political prisoners, end the violence and pushed for all parties to pursue a peaceful solution.

Last month, Senators Shaheen and Johnson held a hearing on bolstering democracy in Georgia in light of the country’s recent political developments. During the hearing, Shaheen and Johnson both agreed on the importance of showing bipartisan support for Georgia’s path to strengthen its democracy and committed to spearheading a resolution in the Senate that expresses that sentiment.