Bill on transparency cannot impede Georgia’s European integration - FM

Darchiashvili also noted the Government would discuss the transparency bill with the country’s international partners to provide “accurate” information about the draft law. Photo via MFA of Georgia

Agenda.ge, 11 Apr 2024 - 20:09, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said the controversial bill on the transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the Parliamentary majority in the lawmaking body, could not impede Georgia’s European integration process.

Darchiashvili’s comments followed the decision of the ruling party to resubmit the bill - which calls 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“pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad - after it was retracted last year following the public protests.

Transparency is the “main cornerstone” of European integration and “one of the main values” that brought Georgia closer to the European family, the FM noted, adding the draft law “is not related to integration into the EU in any way and it should not be discussed”.

Georgia has been implementing very actively and consistently all the mandatory reforms that we have in the format of the bilateral agreement between Georgia and the European Union”, the FM said and pointed out that Georgia had “a very clear” action plan to fulfil the priorities outlined by the European Commission for opening accession talks with the country.

“We [Georgian Government] assume responsibility for all our obligations. Georgia will definitely move to the next, most important phase - the opening of accession talks with the EU”, he stressed.

Darchiashvili also noted the Government would discuss the transparency bill with the country’s international partners to provide “accurate” information about the draft law.