“We recognize that the priorities of the new U.S. Administration align closely with the vision of our government. This alignment fosters a solid foundation for enhanced cooperation,” stated Levan Davitashvili, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, in an interview with Rustavi 2 TV.

Davitashvili highlighted his recent meeting with U.S. Ambassador Robin Dunnigan, noting that their discussion focused on bilateral cooperation, the prospects for future collaboration, and opportunities to deepen relations, particularly in the economic sector.

“The new administration in the United States brings fresh priorities, goals, and objectives, all of which resonate with the ideology, values, and vision of our government. These circumstances create an excellent basis for bolstering our strategic cooperation agreement, which the previous administration unfortunately stalled. This setback negatively impacted our relations and delayed progress. However, I am optimistic that we will restore and renew this dynamic, moving forward to a new phase of increased qualitative and quantitative cooperation. We are aware of the potential, but we must also accept that it takes time.

The new administration is juggling many priorities, and given Georgia’s status as a smaller economy, our challenges must be viewed within the global context, where the U.S. also faces its own set of interests. We must be patient as we all work toward a shared dynamic.

Furthermore, we still observe inertia resulting from the previous administration’s policies. The MEGOBARI Act represents a continuity of that inertia, which, I must emphasize, is neither friendly nor conducive to genuine collaboration,” Davitashvili asserted.

The First Vice Prime Minister expressed his expectation that the MEGOBARI Act will ultimately be rejected. He noted that there are politicians in both the House of Representatives and the Senate who oppose its passage and advocate for strengthening, restoring, and developing not only economic relations but all forms of collaboration between Georgia and the United States.

“I remain hopeful that this act will not come to fruition, particularly when we examine its content. It is a clear continuation of the previous administration’s inertia and is entirely at odds with the visions and priorities of the new administration,” concluded Davitashvili.