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 bill on transparency of foreign influence was “in full accordance” with human rights standards. Photo: Georgian Dream press office
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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”.
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”.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the ruling team would support the domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence proposed by People's Power, a public movement established by former MPs of the party.
People's Power, a public movement established by former MPs of the ruling Georgian Dream party who exited the team last year, on Monday said the domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence had become a “target of unjustified criticism”, and called comparisons with laws in the United States and Russia “categorically unacceptable”.
People's Power, a public movement established by the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Friday criticised the McCain Institute, a Washington-based think tank, for introducing a “fake” claim in its statement about the latest developments around the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Sozar Subari, a member of People’s Power, a public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Thursday said “all those” who wanted to “revive” the opposition United National Movement party and “bring it to power” had “realised” it was “impossible” to do so and “now switched to open struggle”.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said “national interests” “came first” in the Government’s decisions on policy, adding the ruling team “should only serve the interests of Georgia”.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said there “could be no arguments from anyone” against the domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, which has been proposed by People's Power, a public movement established by former MPs of the party, and caused public controversy over the recent days.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday pledged to veto the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, proposed by the People’s Power movement, if the draft law is approved by the country’s legislative body.
Sozar Subari, a member of People's Power - a public movement composed of former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party - on Wednesday said it was “impossible that what is good for American democracy turns out bad for Georgia”, in comments on the proposed controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Anri Okhanashvili, the Chair of the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee, on Wednesday said the topic of the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence should be open for discussion.
Georgian police officers arrested 36 individuals, including reporters, on administrative offences during a public rally against the controversial domestic draft law on transparency of foreign influence late on Thursday outside the Parliament of Georgia in Tbilisi.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said “many non-government organisations” in the country were “directly fighting against state interests” using foreign funding, in comments on the controversial bill for registering non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “agents of foreign influence” if they derive more than 20 percent of their income from abroad.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said consultations were in progress between the Government and the country’s European and American partners to “prevent funding extremism, polarised political environment and a revolution” in the country through foreign sources.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Thursday said disclosures of the United States-based firms with the country’s Department of Justice as part of the Foreign Agents Registration Act had “shed light on the extent of political corruption against Georgia” by lobbyists hired by the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and affiliated groups.