Georgian Parliament approves bill on transparency of foreign influence in final hearing
It requires groups “considered to be an organisation pursuing the interests of a foreign power” to be registered in the public registry with the status and publicise their received funding. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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The Georgian Parliament on Tuesday adopted in the final hearing the bill on transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party on the backdrop of ongoing public protests.
The legislative piece, 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, was supported by 84 MPs in the 150-member lawmaking body, with 30 voting against.
It requires groups “considered to be an organisation pursuing the interests of a foreign power” to be registered in the public registry with the status and publicise their received funding.
President Salome Zourabichvili on Sunday said she would veto the legislative piece, however the ruling party has enough votes to override her veto in the Parliament.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said “no substantial changes” would be made to a controversial domestic bill on the transparency of foreign influence during discussions with international partners on Tuesday, adding the draft law would be adopted the same day by the Parliament.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Sunday said she would “veto” the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Members of the Georgian Parliament on Monday came to blows as the legislative body continued its final discussions of the bill on transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party on the backdrop of ongoing public protests.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday said the country’s Parliament would implement “the will of Georgian society tomorrow and the day after” by adopting the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence in its third reading.