In response to the imposition of financial and visa sanctions on Georgian citizens by the United States for serious human rights violations, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze claimed that there is an "oligarchic influences" on the State Department and stated that he has his own "assumptions about what influences these statements are the result of."

"The fact is that, formally, these statements are disseminated by the State Department, which is unfortunate, because we have to respond to the State Department. I want to emphasize that the culprit here is not the State Department, but the oligarchic forces that exert influence on official institutions in the USA. Therefore, we do not blame the USA, but rather the oligarchic influences, which are the victims of justice in specific institutions," said the Prime Minister during a meeting with the media. He also added that "American institutions need to be de-oligarchized."

When asked by Globalnews.ge about the United States' reaction to such assessments, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated that "in the United States, unlike some countries in the world, it is the democratically elected government, that makes policy choices and no one else". 

The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on two Georgian government officials and two private individuals in connection with the violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators and political opponents. The sanctioned individuals include Zviad "Khareva" Kharazishvili, head of the Department of Special Tasks, his deputy Miller Lagazauri, Konstantine Morgoshia, founder of "Alt-Info," and Zurab Makharadze.

In addition, the US State Department has imposed visa restrictions on more than 60 individuals and their family members involved in undermining democracy in Georgia.