Parliament Speaker formally approves controversial law on transparency of foreign influence

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday formally signed the domestic controversial law on transparency of foreign influence, which requires 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.

In his remarks, Papuashvili said the ”primary objective” of the law was in “enhancement of the resilience” of the domestic political, economic and social systems.

The chief Georgian legislator also stressed the approach of the law was “plain and explicit”.

If [domestic] non-governmental organisations and media are willing, while being funded by the foreign authorities, to become engaged in the decision-making process and have an impact on the lives of the Georgian citizens, they shall meet the minimal transparency standards - citizens must know who stands behind every actor”, he said.

“This is true with the state institutions, political parties and public servants, and shall be true for the organisations funded from abroad. As we have been reiterating, the law, other than its direct objective, would adhere to other goals as well. The two-month considerations evidently confirmed this fact”, the lawmaker added.

“The process revealed that the radical opposition places the interests of other countries over the national interests of the Georgian people. They are unable to tell national interests apart from approval by foreign politicians, or tell independence apart from obedience”, he alleged.

Papuashvili also claimed the public was being “exposed to an apocalyptic illusion” about the legislative piece, which he said “stipulates only a simple obligation for the organisations which have gained over 20 percent of their annual funding - to submit their financial declarations annually”.

We are witnesses of a dispersion of all myths created by the disinformation, and calming down of emotions; many of the citizens supporting the radical opposition in their protest have already witnessed that the law on transparency, in fact, will increase the responsibility and accountability of NGOs and their sponsors, improve the political system, mitigate disinformation, and decrease radicalism and polarisation”, he concluded.

The Georgian Parliament last Tuesday overrode the veto of the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on the law. Zourabichvili had vetoed the law after it was approved by the legislative body in its third reading.