State Security Service rejects “fake news” on enforcement at Parliament amid protest on transparency bill
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. Photo: State Security Service of Georgia
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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.
The Service said unspecified “certain politicians” had made claims on employees of the body exercising “violence” at the lawmaking body, and added “none” of its professionals had been present at the institution “since the start of developments” around the controversial bill over the past week.
It also called on media outlets to “refrain from disseminating unconfirmed information” around the topic.
The protest was launched on Monday outside the Parliament against the bill that proposes 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.
Proposed by People's Power, a public movement composed of former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, the legislative piece has seen backlash from the civil sector, political opposition and diplomatic representations in the country.
The bill has been forwarded to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe for opinion, before the second hearing on its adoption takes place in the Parliament.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.