The Georgian Parliament adopted the controversial bill on “foreign influence” on Tuesday, May 14, despite large-scale demonstrations against this text which, according to its detractors, diverts this Caucasian country from Europe and drags it towards Moscow. During a third and final reading, deputies voted 84 votes “for” and 30 votes “against”, according to images broadcast on public television.
This law requires any NGO or media organization receiving more than 20 percent of its funding from abroad to register as an “organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power.” A text reminiscent of the law on “foreign agents”, passed in Russia in July 2012, the objective of which was to muzzle the opposition. Hence its nickname “Putin law”. The reference is particularly sensitive in Georgia, a country which swings between Russian and European spheres of influence and was invaded by Moscow during a brief war in 2008.
The Georgian opposition accuses the ruling Georgian Dream party of wanting to suppress the opposition before the legislative elections scheduled for this fall.
The text, a first version of which was presented last year before being abandoned in the face of major demonstrations, returned to Parliament in April. It was supported by Georgian Dream and by its founder, the discreet former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The Georgian president, Salomé Zourabichvili, a pro-European and former French diplomat in open conflict with the government, is expected to veto the voted text, but Georgian Dream assures that it has enough votes to override it.
Friday May 10, the Georgian ambassador to France, Gotcha Javakhishvili, announced his resignation and called for the withdrawal of the text which, according to him, hinders the country’s relations with its foreign partners. Two days earlier, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was following the situation in Georgia with “deep concern”.
Georgia obtained candidate status for membership in December 2023, subject to reforms, particularly related to the rule of law, being adopted.