The legacy of Soviet rule and steps taken during the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili severely weakened protections for Georgian workers.   For example, the labor inspectorate was dissolved and the government took a series of steps against independent trade unions to weaken them and deprive them of resources.  In 2010, a petition was filed with the United States Trade Representative to remove Georgia from the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences trade preference program.  The petition cited two continuing and serious issues: (1) that the government of Georgia has not yet created a credible, independent labor inspectorate with a mandate to enforce international labor standards; and (2) the labor code, even with its 2013 amendment, still does not fully conform to internationally recognized workers’ rights.