European Commission, European Council presidents express concern over adoption of Georgian transparency law
The legislative body on Tuesday overruled the President’s veto on 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, with 84 votes against four, on the backdrop of ongoing public protests. Photo: European Commission
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Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Tuesday expressed their concerns over the Georgian Parliament’s decision to adopt the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence.
The legislative body on Tuesday overruled the President’s veto on 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, with 84 votes against four, on the backdrop of ongoing public protests.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on Tuesday said the decision of the Georgian Parliament to override President Salome Zourabichvili’s veto on the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence “negatively impacted” the country's integration path into the European Union.
In her statement, von der Leyen noted Georgian citizens “overwhelmingly want to join the European Union”, adding the law “goes against core principles and values of the EU, negatively impacting Georgia's EU path”.
She stressed the EU was “considering all options and urged the country’s Government to recommit to the EU aspirations”.
In his statement over the latest developments in the country, Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Tuesday said the European Council had decided to grant Georgia the EU membership candidate status in December “on the understanding that Georgia undertakes the relevant steps and necessary democratic reforms”.
He stressed the adoption of the law was a “step backward” and it would take Georgia “further away from its EU path”, adding the Georgian people “have clearly chosen a future in the EU and we will do everything to support their ambitions”.
The official added he would add the matter to the agenda of the upcoming European Council meeting.