Transparency of foreign influence bill is “not consistent with Georgia’s EU aspiration” - European Council President
He stressed the adoption of the law would bring Georgia “further away from the EU and not closer”, adding the Georgian people “have chosen the European path and in response, the European Council granted” the country the membership candidate status last December. Photo via European Council
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Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Tuesday said the draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence “is not consistent with” Georgia’s European Union aspiration and its accession trajectory.
Michel’s comments followed the reintroduction of 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.
He stressed the adoption of the law would bring Georgia “further away from the EU and not closer”, adding the Georgian people “have chosen the European path and in response, the European Council granted” the country the membership candidate status last December.
Sheraz Gasri, the French Ambassador to Georgia, on Tuesday said Georgia, as an independent and sovereign country, “can adopt the law it wants”, but noted the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence, introduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party, “does not correspond to the values of the European Union”.
Georgian Interior Ministry on Tuesday said the police officers had implemented “all necessary preventive measures” to avoid violence and mass confrontation, as well as to provide the citizens, protesting the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence outside the Parliament in the country’s capital Tbilisi on Monday, with the right of assembly and demonstration.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence was “compatible with the European human rights standards does not restrict the freedom of association”, in response to comments by Michael O'Flaherty, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, who last week expressed concerns about the draft law.
Georgia cherishes and safeguards relations with partner countries. By taking into consideration the main priority of our foreign policy - EU integration - cooperation with high-ranking officials of the United States of America, European Union and EU Member States, including the ambassadors and exchange of ideas is a profound priority for us. We value every supportive step and statement of current ambassadors that are directed at solidifying the international positions of Georgia. Thus, every grounded advice and recommendation will further be accepted with special attention and care.