Georgian PM says bill on transparency of foreign influence “only involves” financial declarations by domestic NGOs, media

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, resubmitted by the parliamentary majority in late April,  involved “only one thing” in requesting submission of annual financial declarations by domestic non-governmental organisations and relevant media outlets.

At a press briefing in the Government Administration, Kobakhidze commented on the ongoing second reading of the draft law in the Parliament and public rallies outside the legislative institution in Tbilisi on Tuesday by saying the bill would "significantly bolster Georgia's state sovereignty".

The PM said the draft law would also “make an important contribution to the prevention of violent actions of the political minority like the ones taken yesterday”, in reference to clashes between protesters and law enforcement that led to arrests of 63 people and injuries to 11.

Kobakhidze claimed “two failed revolution attempts by the radical opposition” had been made since the 2020 elections in the country, after NGOs had “falsified results” of the parallel vote counting and made claims about alleged late publication of election results by the Central Election Commission.

Finally, the first attempted revolution, which started in October 2020, ended only in October 2021, when the public confirmed their trust in Georgian Dream [ruling party] in [local] government elections”, the PM said.

The head of the Government claimed the NGOs were “fully financed from foreign sources” and added a “second attempt at a revolutionary scenario” had begun with the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In April 2022, representatives from radical parties, NGOs and various media outlets convened in Bakuriani. Together with renowned expert on violent revolutions, Peter Ackerman, they devised a revolutionary plan, slated to unfold after Georgia was unjustly denied [European Union] candidate status in June”, he alleged.

"This plan was set into motion when Georgia indeed faced unfair denial of candidate status in June 2022. NGOs revealed their true intentions, stepping onto the political stage to demand the government's resignation and the formation of a technical government. These revolutionary efforts persisted until Georgia finally attained [EU] candidate status in December 2023",Kobakhidze added.

He also claimed the “violent clashes” with law enforcement officers on Tuesday outside the legislative body had been “planned and carried out completely according to Akerman's guidelines”.

The PM told the briefing the “violent and illegal character” of the rally had been “manifested both by the picketing of the building of the Georgian Parliament and by physical violence and insults towards law enforcement officers”.

He said the protesters threw “various objects at the police officers, including glass bottles and stones” in the clashes.