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Disinfo: Partners are transferring funds to Georgia in exchange for vaccination and experiments

Summary

Funds allocated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Georgia may not be designated for supporting the economy and agriculture, but for conducting vaccinations instead. Georgia is participating in a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) that envisages the testing of four drugs. This raises doubts that the partner countries are transferring funds to Georgia in exchange for vaccination and experiments.

Disproof

Recurring conspiracy theory on coronavirus and vaccination.

On 2 May 2020, the IMF allocated USD 200 million to Georgia in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement by the IMF reads that the funds will be used to cover (1) immediate financial needs and (2) balance of payments.

The WHO is sending four drugs to Georgia, but these are merely treating drugs, not vaccines. Two of these four drugs have already been used in Georgia to fight the coronavirus and AIDS. Participation in the study is voluntary and this is not a precondition for receiving aid and funding.

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publication/media

Georgia and the World (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 199
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/05/2020
  • Language/target audience: Georgian
  • Country: Georgia
  • Keywords: coronavirus, vaccination, WHO, IMF

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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The West does not treat post-Soviet countries as sovereign states, Joe Biden holds Ukraine’s presidency

The US and EU deprive their vassal states of sovereignty and independence. Their financial assistance is Trojan financial aid. Money in exchange for reforms corrupts local ruling elites, rewards them for loyalty, and provokes addiction of their weakened economies. The EU believes that the post-Soviet states have to obey, it does not perceive them as sovereign. IMF’s financial aid is an even stronger drug for post-Soviet countries than financial assistance within the Eastern Partnership. IMF’s decisions are made by the US and its allies to keep external control over countries.

Ukraine is a showcase that Western assistance helps no-one, it is rather a tool of external governance. In order to receive foreign aid, Ukraine is ordered to raise the cost of utilities, to cut social programmes, to sell land to foreigners. Over the past years, Ukraine has proven to be the country totally deprived of sovereignty and independence. Its ministers are appointed on Washington’s orders, government members are foreign agents, and the head of the national security service is a recruited agent of American intelligence. Furthermore, Joe Biden sits in Ukraine’s presidential chair and orders what bills have to be adopted.

May 18, 2020
Disproof

This is a mix of conspiracies aimed at discrediting the statehood of Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries, the EU, the US and international financial organisations including the IMF. It is consistent with common pro-Kremlin narratives about the aggressive West and Ukraine as a non-sovereign country. It also alleges the EU's mean intentions behind the Eastern Partnership programme.

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The Eastern Partnership initiative is a mutually beneficial and constructive platform for countries in the region to build a closer relationship with the EU if they choose to do so. The Eastern Partnership stands for good neighbourly relations and respects the individual aspirations and ambitions of each partner country. Read more about the Eastern Partnership and its priorities here.

The West betrayed Georgia. EU help is a loan and the country has to pay it back

Georgia does not have an alternative other than asking Russia for help, while the grants approved by the European Union for fighting the coronavirus are actually loans that the country will have to pay.

May 18, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that Russia is the only state helping others, that Russia is competent and the EU and West are incompetent actors, betraying its partners.

A total of EUR 400 million was transferred from the EU and some of its member countries to Georgia to fight the pandemic in three tranches. Two Team Europe packages for Georgia are already being implemented. The first one, presented on 30 March, provided for urgent healthcare supplies and technical expertise, assistance to vulnerable groups, and wide liquidity support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including in local currency. The second package was unveiled on 8 April and included over €183 million for Georgia in support to socio-economic measures, including a contribution to bridging the financing gap. These packages have brought the total COVID-related support to Georgia to €250 million in non-reimbursable grants to date. On the 24th April 2020, the EU announced a third package, in the form of €150 million of loans on highly favourable terms to further help Georgia cover its immediate financing needs.

Pulitzer prize to The New York Times is Russophobic

Many US media are known for their russophobic stance, and The New York Times is no exception. On May 4, eight of its articles and videos on Russia were awarded with the Pulitzer Price, using clearly russophobic terms like “exposing the predations of Vladimir Putin’s regime”, which exposes the clear bias of Western journalism against Russia and its political management. Two of the materials awarded are about bombings against hospitals and other civilian targets in terrorist- controlled territories in Syria. The NYT investigation seems to be very biased, given that the Russian Ministry of Defence pointed many times that it only carries out attacks on verified targets and it never hits medical facilities nor civilian infrastructures in Syria. The evidences presented by the media seem to be unfounded, since the flight records showed by the NYT don’t prove that Russia is guilty, which raises doubts about the veracity of the information and can’t be excluded that the images could have been fabricated.

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Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, aiming to portray any criticism of Russia’s violations of international law as anti-Russian in nature and to discredit critics by questioning their true motives and attacking their legitimacy. It also intends to boost support for Vladimir Putin’s regime through nationalism, by equating any negative reference to the current Russian government with alleged “russophobia”.

Deliberate targeting of civilians by the Russian air forces has been a permanent concern for human rights groups and observers of the Syrian conflict since the beginning of its intervention in the country in 2015. Both Syrian and especially Russian armed forces have been repeatedly accused of purposefully attacking schools, rescue workers and hospitals by Amnesty International, Western governments or the United Nations in different moments of the war.