GD official urges “int’l friends” not to criticise transparency bill, with similar laws in force in US, initiated in EU
In his comments to the media, Mdinaradze called on the international community not to “allow extremists [radical opposition] in Georgia to call it [the draft law] Russian”, and noted that similar bills were in force in leading countries. Photo via Georgian Dream press office
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Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Saturday urged “everyone, especially [Georgia’s international] friends” not to criticise a bill on the transparency of foreign influence, as the similar laws were already in force in the United States, Israel, Canada, New Zealand and also initiated in the European Union, “with even stricter regulations”.
The ruling party resubmitted the bill calling for the registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.
A similar draft law was retracted last year following public protests, with the party this week announcing its intention to submit the bill to the Parliament again after amending the text characterising subject organisations from “agents of foreign influence” to the new designation.
In his comments to the media, Mdinaradze called on the international community not to “allow extremists [radical opposition] in Georgia to call it [the draft law] Russian”, and noted that similar bills were in force in leading countries.
Mdinaradze also explained that the Government had retracted the bill last year with the condition that non-governmental organisations would ensure financial transparency, stressing “they did the opposite”.
The reintroduction of the bill has been criticised by officials from the European Commission, NATO, Council of Europe and US Department of State.