The Sweden Herald reports that Sweden has halted direct cooperation with the Georgian government while simultaneously allocating 25 million kroner (approximately 6 million GEL) to the country’s civil society.
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"The development in Georgia has been very alarming for some time. The irregularities reported by international election observers in the weekend's parliamentary election reinforce this," said Benjamin Dousa, Sweden's minister for development cooperation and foreign trade, in a written comment.
As Dousa stated, attempts to prevent Georgian civil society from fulfilling its democratic role, including through restrictive legislation, contradict the norms and values of the European Union.
"Therefore, the government is pausing the direct Swedish-Georgian authority cooperation that is still ongoing, including with Georgia's tax authority," Dousa stated.
He added that cooperation may be renewed in the future if Georgia moves closer to the European Union.
As per the Sweden Herald, Sweden's aid to Georgia amounts to approximately 200 million Swedish kronor, or about 51 014 774 GEL per year. This year, 25 million kronor has been allocated for the country's civil society.
