Bill on transparency of foreign influence “in full accordance” with democratic standards - ruling party head

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, proposed by People's Power, a public movement established by former members of the party, was in “full accordance” with human rights standards “unlike its American and Russian analogues”. 

• Ruling party to support bill on transparency of foreign influence

Commenting on the draft for the bill, which envisages registration of “non-commercial legal entities and media outlets as agents of foreign influence if they derive more than 20 percent of their income from abroad”, the lawmaker claimed the similar US law was a “complete disaster” that had been “almost copied” in the Russian legislation.

He alleged the Georgian bill, sharply criticised by domestic opposition parties and civil organisations as “incompatible with the basic principles of a modern democratic state”, was aiming to ensure the “minimum standards of transparency”. 

The only thing it ensures is that entities that receive more than 20 percent in foreign funding submit their annual declarations”, he said. 

Following the presentation of the bill on Monday, People’s Power claimed it was “fully compatible with legal standards”, including in terms of human rights, “unlike the American and Russian laws”.