Adoption of foreign transparency law creates “strong guarantees” for ensuring long-lasting peace in Georgia - PM

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday said the adoption of the law on transparency of foreign influence earlier today would create “strong guarantees” for ensuring long-lasting peace and tranquillity in Georgia, as well as overcoming polarisation - the necessary condition for the country’s European Union integration.

At a press briefing held in the Government Administration, Kobakhidze cited the “sociological studies” that showed that “more than 80 percent” of the Georgian society supported the transparency of NGOs and “more than 60 percent” supported the proposed transparency bill.

He claimed the introduced legislative piece stipulated “only one thing” - the annual submission of a declaration by non-governmental organisations that “are carrying out the interests of a foreign power”.

It is impossible for anyone to be against transparency who has read this law and understands that transparency is one of the key European values”, the PM added.

The Government will discuss the assessments of the Venice Commission, if the body submits its opinion on the law by May 28, Kobakhidze noted and emphasised the ruling team had already said that it would use the veto procedure to implement the changes in the legislative piece. “The main thing is to receive specific legal comments regarding the law”, he stressed.

The Head of the Government thanked the ruling team, the parliamentary majority for their “loyalty to the national interests of Georgia”, while also expressing gratitude to the law enforcement officers who had responded to “violence and other illegal actions” at the ongoing rallies against the controversial transparency bill in Tbilisi with “higher than European and American standards”.

I once again call on the protesters to refrain from violence and illegal actions, and I urge the law enforcement officers to respond to violence and insults with maximum patience”, Kobakhidze said.

“Georgia is a free, independent, sovereign and dignified state. In the future, we will act with the highest responsibility towards our country and people and will do our utmost to protect the national interests of Georgia”, the PM affirmed, noting joining the European Union “is possible and valuable only with dignity and sovereignty”.

He also highlighted that the support of the Georgian people “gave us [the ruling team] the opportunity” to avoid two revolution attempts in the past years, to maintain peace in the country and to receive the EU membership candidate status, adding he believed Georgia would become a full member of the bloc by 2030.