Georgian PM, ambassadors to country discuss bill on transparency of foreign influence

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday discussed a bill on transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the ruling party after its original withdrawal following public protests last year, with Robin Dunnigan, the Ambassador of the United States, Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union and Mark Clayton, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom.

The Georgian Government Administration said Kobakhidze told the diplomats the controversial bill was in “full compliance with all basic legal principles” and served the “sole purpose of annual disclosure” of financing of domestic non-governmental organisations and media outlets.

The Georgian PM also claimed given his Government was “showing an example of transparency” by having all Government decisions and legal acts publicised, it was “not clear why it is unacceptable for NGOs to meet the minimum standard of transparency”.

Kobakhidze once again confirmed the “full readiness” of his Government for an “open discussion” regarding the bill to ensure the public and “friends of the country do not have any question marks left”.

The bill 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.

Its reintroduction has been criticised by the domestic opposition, NGO sector and a part of Georgia’s international partners and diplomatic representations in the country.