Georgian PM claims “complete farce behind campaign” against domestic law after Canada adopts Foreign Influence Transparency Act

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday called the “campaign” by the domestic opposition and non-governmental organisations against the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence a “complete farce” after the Canadian Senate on Wednesday passed the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act, intended to help deter, investigate and punish foreign interference.

Kobakhidze said the adoption of the law in Canada “once again showed” that the criticism of the Georgian legislative initiative had “no basis”.

Every country cares about its sovereignty, and in Canada, of course, the adoption of the law on transparency serves to prevent foreign influences and protect the country's sovereignty. Therefore, the campaign against the transparency law in Georgia was a complete farce”, he said.

“The example of Canada is another very clear confirmation of this. The campaign we saw in Georgia against the transparency law was simply shameful. When you criticise the law without any argument, it is just shameful”, he concluded.

The Georgian law 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.

It was supported by 84 MPs in the 150-member Parliament, with 30 voting against, and requires the 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.