Georgian Parliament overrides President’s veto on transparency of foreign influence law

The Georgian Parliament on Tuesday overrode a veto placed by the country’s President Salome Zourabichvili on the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence with 84 votes against four, on the backdrop of ongoing public protests.

The legislative body adopted the original version of the law, 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.

Upon the publication of the law, the Ministry of Justice and the National Agency of Public Registry will have 60 days to create a register of “organisations carrying out the interests of a foreign power” and the registration will become mandatory.

Zourabichvili last week vetoed the law by claiming the legislative piece was “against our constitution and European standards”, stressing the law would be “an obstacle for Georgia on its European path”.

The reintroduction of the transparency law by the ruling Georgian Dream party has sparked public protests and criticism from Georgia’s foreign partner states.

Citizens, representatives of the opposition political parties and NGOs are gathered in front of the Parliament building in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, protesting the adoption of the law.

The Interior Ministry has recently called on the manifestation's organisers and participants to enable the members of the legislative body and employees of the parliament administration to “leave the building without interruption and to continue protesting in a peaceful environment”.