Stephen Doughty, the UK’s Minister of State for Europe, North America and the UK Overseas Territories, said the UK continues to monitor political and economic developments in Georgia while stressing that investment decisions are made by businesses. He was responding to a parliamentary question on the “potential implications” of Georgia’s political situation, including reported targeting of journalists and protesters, for UK foreign investment and policy.
The written question, tabled by Scottish National Party MP Brendan O’Hara on July 8, asked for the Foreign Office’s assessment of the “potential implications for its policies of levels of UK foreign direct investment into Georgia, in the context of reported targeting of journalists and peaceful protesters in the country, and the continued detention of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli.”
Doughty responded to the question on July 13, saying, “The UK remains committed to supporting democracy, human rights and media freedom in Georgia. We continue to monitor developments closely, including reports of violence against peaceful protesters and the imprisonment of journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, whose case we have raised publicly and privately with the Georgian authorities.”
