Georgian PM says bill on transparency of foreign Influence does not “impose any restrictions”

The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Saturday said the law on transparency of foreign influence did not impose “any restrictions” that was one of the main reasons that over 300 hundred organisations had applied to the Ministry of Justice for registration.

The head of the Government  noted more than half of the organisations which receive funding from abroad had applied for the registry as well.

“[…]I don’t think it is much more than 500. Actually, more than half of that organisation have applied to register what is absolutely welcoming. That is another confirmation that the Law does not cause any stigmatisation”, Kobakhidze added.

The controversial law on transparency, 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, came into effect from August 1st. 

Tamar Tkeshelashvili, the First Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia, on Friday said 360 organisations had applied for registration in the registry of organisations pursuing interests of foreign power at the National Agency of Public Registry of the Ministry.