Foreign Relations, Defence Committees support transparency bill at first hearing amid confrontation
Both verbal and physical confrontations occurred among the lawmakers while discussing the draft law. After the incident, the security officers of the Georgian Parliament forcibly removed opposition MPs, including the newly elected United Nations Movement chair Levan Khabeishvili and Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli party. Photo via IPN
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The bill on transparency of foreign influence, proposed by People's Power, a public movement composed of former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, was supported at the first hearing by the Foreign Relations and Defence Committees later on Thursday amid confrontation at the joint session.
Both verbal and physical confrontations occurred among the lawmakers while discussing the draft law, which involves the 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. After the incident, the security officers of the Georgian Parliament forcibly removed opposition MPs, including the newly elected United Nations Movement chair Levan Khabeishvili and Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli party.
In a meeting with the ambassadors of the European Union member states on Wednesday, the ambassadors “expressed their concerns on specific articles” [of the bill], but did not oppose the transparency, Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee said at the session.
He noted a detailed discussion had been held on the needs and challenges facing Georgia, including the problems related to the finances “that might come from the hostile states”, as well as extremist religious organisations, which could “pose a great threat” to the country’s security.
In his turn, Sozar Subari, a member of People's Power, said Georgia’s non-governmental sector, with the EU funding, “demanded” to create a unified registry, where the non-profit legal entities, financed by foreign states, would be recorded, and he emphasised the bill proposed by his movement “literally” reflected the creation of the registry with “less demands”.
Guram Macharashvili, another member of the public movement, said “to prevent any speculations”, at the first hearing the bill would be approved “at the level of principles”, and stressed after it the draft law would be sent to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the second hearing would not be held until the Commission’s conclusion on the draft.
The ruling Georgian Dream party MP, Nino Tsilosani also made comments on the initiative and offered to change the name of the bill [removing the word agents], as it was a “matter of discomfort and concerns”.
There are many problems in Georgia and the Parliament should take care of them, Aleko Elisashvili, an MP from the Citizens opposition party said, noting the transparency bill was not relevant at this point.
An opposition MP, Armaz Akhvlediani also criticised the initiative and called on the ruling party to “pull back” the bill and stop “playing with Georgia’s future” [as the bill has been criticised by diplomatic representations in the country].
This is a “Russian law” for “Russian purposes”, Ana Natsvlishvili, one of the leaders of the Lelo opposition party stressed, adding the problem with the proposed bill was its “Russian essence” and not its terms.
The members of the opposition parties and citizens gathered in front of the Parliament building to protest the transparency bill. As the local media announced, police had arrested “several citizens”.
We urge the protesters not to exceed the limits of freedom of expression and assembly. Also, we warn the organisers and participants of the rally not to allow calls for violence and ensure that the rally not to become violent”, the Interior Ministry said, announcing the officers of the Ministry would apply “all appropriate measures” to ensure public order and security.
The leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli party said they would continue the protest and would take “concrete steps” to “stop” the Parliament from adopting the law. The representatives of the NGOs also protested the bill at the session.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday commented on the controversy around the proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence by saying a similar law working well in the United States meant the law would also function in Georgia if approved.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday discussed the bill on transparency of foreign influence with Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia and ambassadors of the EU member states, the Parliament press office said.
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.
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.
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.
Russia is an occupier and it is impossible for Georgia to act like that country in any way, Gia Volski, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, told journalists on Saturday, noting Georgia could not “give up” on the Euro-Atlantic integration process, as it has been the choice of Georgian people.
The Georgian Parliament on Tuesday continued discussions of the proposed bill that involves 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 income from abroad, local media said.
The Georgian State Security Service on Monday rejected “fake” reports on its employees being present at the Parliament for ensuring enforcement, amid an ongoing public protest against the proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence.
A public protest was launched on Monday outside the Parliament of Georgia in capital Tbilisi in a demonstration against the proposed bill on 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 income from abroad.
The Georgian Parliament on Tuesday approved the transparency bill at the first hearing that involves 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 income from abroad, local media said.
Newly appointed Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, on Tuesday called on the Interior Ministry not to use coercive and “disproportionate” measures against the peaceful participants gathered currently in front of the Parliament building to protest the approval of the transparency bill by the legislative body earlier today, and urged the protesters not to go beyond the legal framework.