“Radical” opponents used “sensitive topic of occupation” to “mislead” public over transparency bill - PM
The Georgian PM on Sunday responded to controversies over the transparency bill. Photo: Government press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday said the Government's opponents had used a “sensitive topic” of Russian occupation to “mislead” the public over the controversial transparency bill that was rejected by the Parliament this week amid protests.
In his interview with Imedi TV, the head of the Government stressed the bill had been “misinterpreted” as a “Russian law” by the “radical wing” of the domestic opposition, with the statements having been made by the country’s “foreign partners, colleagues and Ambassadors” had “further encouraged the [negative] approach and controversies” to the legislative piece, and “confused” the part of the public.
The process and efforts seemed very coordinated”, Garibashvili said.
The PM noted two transparency bills had been submitted to the legislative body, with one of them “copying the American version” of the related law.
The Georgian model [that was approved by the Parliament with its first reading this week] has been labelled as a Russian law…You know how sensitive we Georgians are to such matters on the background of the Russian occupation [of Georgian territories]. [...] and this issue, of course, has raised a lot of question marks. In addition to that, the statements being made by the country’s foreign partners, colleagues and Ambassadors have further confused the part of the public. [We have witnessed] very coordinated actions and efforts”, Garibashvili said.
The PM highlighted the ruling party’s decision on Thursday to recall the bill, which involved registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “agents of foreign influence” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad, was the “most correct and reasonable decision that situation, dictated by state interests”
The withdrawal of the draft law in the given circumstances was the most prudent and wise decision in the context of statehood, as we on the one hand demonstrated that nobody will ever be given a chance of destabilisations and on the other hand we said that we were aware of their [the part of the opposition's] very offensive plans", Garibashvili said, noting the plans included the maintenance of "unrest and chaos" in the country.
He claimed the domestic “radical forces” were also capable of “killing several young demonstrators” during the rallies to further complicate tension.
The PM noted after forwarding the bills to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe to obtain the body's legal opinion, public discussions could take about three to four months about those initiatives before their final vote.
The Georgian Parliament on Friday formally retracted the draft law, following the decision by the ruling Georgian Dream party to withdraw it.
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The Georgian Interior Ministry on Friday said 58 law enforcement officers had received “various injuries” while ensuring safety during the rallies in central Tbilisi on Tuesday and Wednesday that protested the Parliament’s discussion of the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Georgian Parliament on Friday formally retracted the draft law on transparency of foreign influence, following the decision by the ruling Georgian Dream party to withdraw the bill.
The ruling Georgian Dream party on Thursday said it was “unconditionally” withdrawing the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence that was met by a backlash by domestic opposition, civil sector and diplomatic representations in the country, citing the interest of maintaining domestic “tranquillity”, the country’s development and its European integration aspirations as factors behind the decision.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday expressed his gratitude towards Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, his team and the Ministry’s Special Tasks Department, as well as police officers for “perfectly” planning and executing the dispersal of the rally outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi, during the protest after the legislative body gave its initial backing to a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence in its first reading.
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The Department of Strategic Communications of the Georgian Government on Monday rejected the “misinformation campaign and deliberate misinterpretation” by some “politically engaged media” of the statement by the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili made on Sunday in an interview with Imedi TV.
Kakha Kaladze, the Tbilisi Mayor and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said “any attempts by the radical wing” of the domestic opposition to replace the current authorities “through chaos and revolution” were “doomed to fail”.
Georgian Vice Prime Minister Thea Tsulukiani on Monday accused the Franklin Club, a domestic non-governmental organisation promoting “classical liberal and libertarian values”, of affiliation with “radical and extremist” political parties in the country, after the group announced cancellation of its educational cooperation with University of Georgia citing “attacks” by Government members.