Hungary, Slovakia block EU27 statement on foreign influence law adopted by Georgian Parliament

The European Commission on Tuesday said Hungary and Slovakia had blocked the release of a statement on behalf of all 27 EU member states regarding the passage of the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence by the Georgian Parliament.

The Spokesperson of the European Commission told the Georgian-based Imedi TV that the statement would be issued in a “different format” instead.

The Parliament on Tuesday adopted the bill 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.