Georgian Parliament official alleges misuse of US aid under Biden administration in fueling political unrest

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Integration Committee, on Tuesday addressed recent comments made by Mike Benz, a former high-ranking US State Department official, regarding the 2024 protests in Georgia.

In an interview with Imedi TV, Makhashvili suggested that while Benz’s revelations might be shocking to some, they reflect a reality that many in the Georgian Government have long observed.

Makhashvili’s comments came after Mike Benz, a former US Department of State official and the Executive Director of the Foundation For Freedom Online, on Monday commented on the mass protests held in Georgia in May 2024 over the foreign influence law, accusing Washington of applying double standards toward countries pursuing legislation similar to that of the United States.

Makhashvili emphasised that funds intended for diplomatic or developmental purposes were instead diverted into political processes that bypassed Georgia's legal framework.

“We have seen that the American people’s money, which should have served entirely different purposes, was spent in Georgia on processes that did not fit the stated goals of this funding, nor did they fall within Georgia's legislative space”, he said.

“This money caused many problems in Georgia, both in political and societal processes. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge, in any case, that this was indeed the situation. At the same time, it is positive that, fortunately, the Trump administration closed the funds and channels through which this money was entering Georgia”, Makhashvili concluded.