Georgia will adopt transparency bill, at same time will become EU member - PM

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said Georgia would adopt the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence and at the same time would become a member of the European Union.

The most important thing is to protect “national dignity and principles”, which will “bring results in all directions”, Kobakhidze stressed in his comments on the ongoing second reading of the draft law in the Parliament and public rallies outside the legislative institution in Tbilisi.

If we do not break this so-called closed circle of polarisation and radicalism, it will be very difficult for us to become an EU member”, the PM noted, claiming “specific forces” in the country, including the radical opposition and some non-governmental organisations, used radicalism for their own interests and wanted to “permanently” put the country into so-called polarisation mode.

He highlighted the importance of adopting the draft law, which calls for the registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad, for “maintaining peace in the long term”.

The Head of the Government said protests and demonstrations would continue during the third reading of the bill as well, but passing the transparency law would ensure the elimination of polarisation and radicalism “in the long run”, stressing “this is a principled national task”.