The Vice Speaker in the Georgian Parliament said the US Department of State’s decision to impose sanctions on four Georgian judges was “unfair”, “absolutely unacceptable” and “incompatible” with the strategic cooperation between the states.

In comments for the media, Archil Talakvadze stressed the decision required to be “seriously considered”

“It is not an easy topic. It is regrettable our friendship and strategic relations have reached the point where we speak to each other in the language of sanctions. 

Our country had ensured improvements in its judiciary under the sanctioned judges, with the number of suits against Georgia in the European Court of Human Rights reduced by 60%.

Individuals and the Georgian state are also equally winning cases in domestic courts, in contrast to the situation under the previous authorities when he said the former had lower chances of winning. 

One of the 3 judges, [Valeri] Tsertsvadze, was no longer occupying a position in the court system”, - added Archil Talakvadze.