Georgian Parliament discusses transparency bill at plenary session
The domestic opposition objected to the decision to hold the plenary hearing on the bill today instead of Thursday, and gathered in front of the Parliament building along with members of the public, representatives of the non-governmental organisations and students to protest the bill. Photo via 1TV.ge
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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.
At a plenary session of the lawmaking body, the discussion saw more confrontation among legislators following clashes that accompanied hearings last week. The hearings also involve members of the United National Movement opposition party, who have been boycotting Parliamentary work.
The domestic opposition objected to the decision to hold the plenary hearing on the bill today instead of Thursday, and gathered in front of the Parliament building along with members of the public, representatives of the non-governmental organisations and students to protest the bill.
Photo via IPN
Interior Ministry urged the protesters not to exceed the limits of freedom of expression and assembly and also, warned the organisers and participants of the rally not to allow calls for violence and ensure that the rally not to become violent, adding the officers of the Ministry would apply “all appropriate measures” to ensure public order and security.
The legislative piece was supported at the first hearing by the Foreign Relations and Defence Committees last week.
The backlash and public protests against the proposed draft law have seen it being labelled “incompatible with the basic principles of a modern democratic state” by the domestic opposition, civil sector and diplomatic representations in the country.
The United Nations Office in Georgia has criticised its potential adoption by saying it would “risk impeding the work of civil society and media and the essential contributions they make to Georgian democracy”.
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.
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.
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.
The Georgian police on Wednesday said it had arrested 66 people for “petty hooliganism”, disobedience to law enforcement and throwing “Molotov cocktails and stones” at officers during a protest outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi after the legislative body gave its initial backing to a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence in its first reading.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday vowed the Georgian authorities’ support for the country’s European integration by saying the “march forward to Europe” would be facilitated “with Christianity”, “with sovereignty” and “with dignity”.
Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Tuesday said the proposed Georgian bill on the transparency of foreign influence, which passed the first reading at the country’s Parliament on Tuesday, was “incompatible” with European Union values and standards.