Discussion of bill on Registration of Foreign Agents suspended
The first draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence was approved at the first hearing by the Georgian Parliament on Tuesday, in heated sessions between MPs. Photo via Parliament of Georgia
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The first hearing of the draft law on Registration of Foreign Agents, scheduled for tomorrow, will no longer be discussed at the plenary session of the Parliament, the local news agency Interpressnews said on Wednesday.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has recently published a letter sent to Bazy Malaurie, the President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, requesting the body’s opinion on the two versions of the draft laws, proposed by People's Power, a movement composed of former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The first draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence was approved at the first hearing by the Georgian Parliament on Tuesday, in heated sessions between MPs.
Out of registered 113 members at the plenary session of the lawmaking body, 76 MPs supported the bill, while 13 voted against it, after which a confrontation took place, late on Tuesday, between police and the participants of the rally [including the domestic opposition, members of the public, representatives of non-governmental organisations and students] gathered in front of the Parliament building, protesting the bill on foreign influence.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday published the letter sent by the official to Bazy Malaurie, the President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, for requesting the body’s opinion on the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence that has met by a backlash in Georgia.
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.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the Georgian authorities had showed “utmost respect” to the European institutions by forwarding the proposed domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, which passed the first reading at the country’s Parliament on Tuesday, to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe for opinion.
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.
Giorgi Vashadze, the Chair of the Strategy Agmashenebeli opposition party, called on the participants of the rally to besiege the Parliament building, who have been gathered to protest the adoption of the bill on transparency of foreign influence by the legislative body at the first hearing, the Public Broadcaster said on Wednesday.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday called on citizens currently gathered in front of the Parliament building, who are protesting the approval of the transparency bill by the legislative body on Tuesday, to “remain within the legal framework of peaceful assembly".
Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli opposition party, on Wednesday called on the participants of the rally to besiege the Parliament building.
Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri on Friday said March protests in Tbilisi against the Bill on Transparency of Foreign Influence had “turned into violence” despite “numerous calls” from his office to protesters to act peacefully.
The European Union delegation to Georgia on Thursday welcomed the announcement by the ruling Georgian Dream party on withdrawal of the draft legislation on transparency of foreign influence.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said he had “clearly confirmed” to country’s European and American “friends” that the ruling Georgian Dream party would not revert to the domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, which it retracted from the Parliament voting following domestic and international backlash in March.