Georgian PM says “no alternative to transparency” after reports linking US-based organisation with NGOs in country

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said there was “no alternative to transparency”, in comments over reports about the United States-based National Endowment for Democracy’s alleged involvement in funding non-governmental organisations based in the country.

Kobakhidze’s comments came after the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week alleged the NED had “rallied support for and instigated protests in Georgia against the foreign agents bill” earlier this year, in reference to the 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 over the matter, Kobakhidze said it was “unacceptable for someone to non-transparently seek to stage and fund a revolution in the country”.

The Government head said the domestic public “should know everything about the funds flowing into the country”.

I do not want to talk about any particular foreign organisation in a negative way, but transparency is a key factor. We do not restrict funding [for NGOs] - someone can even fund revolutionary processes in our country - the main thing is that the funding is transparent so that the public has full information about foreign influence”, he said.

Earlier today, Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules, said the Government’s “only requirement” was that the domestic non-governmental sector be “as transparent as all other sectors” in the country.