Parliament majority leader says legislative body should adopt “European-style legislation” on transparency of foreign influence

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Monday said the legislative body should adopt the “European-style legislation” with the bill of transparency of foreign influence and adapt it “as much as possible” to the European Commission’s directive on the matter.

Mdinaradze’s remarks came as the Committee on Legal Issues of the Parliament on Monday started discussing the controversial bill, which calls for 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.

We should adopt the European-style legislation and adapt it as much as possible to the European Commission’s directive, which has not yet been adopted. But there is a French law [on foreign influence], which has already been adopted by the French Parliament”, he said.

The lawmaker rejected allegations around the bill, as voiced by a part of the domestic opposition and the non-governmental sector.

“They claim that the bill applies to individuals - that is a lie, it does not apply to individuals. They claim that the bill prohibits the active right to vote - there is no such thing. They claim that the bill prohibits pedagogical activity - there is no such thing. They claim that the bill restricts the right to property and financial transactions - there is no such thing”, he told MPs.

They claim that the bill imposes the requirement [for its subjects] to be referred to as an ‘agent of influence’ - there is nothing similar in our bill. They claim that the bill imposes criminal liability - no such thing envisaged in our bill”, Mdinaradze noted.

The European Commission last year adopted a Defence of Democracy package ahead of the 2024 European elections, with a central piece of the package involving a legislative proposal to “enhance transparency and democratic accountability” of interest representation activities on behalf of third countries, aimed at influencing policies, decision-making and the democratic space.

The Georgian draft law, reintroduced after the original bill was retracted last year following public protests, has been criticised by the opposition, NGOs and a part of Georgia’s international partner governments and diplomatic representations.