After a full fight in the Georgian parliament, the controversial “foreign agent law” was voted through in May.
The new law has been called closer to Russia and condemned by the EU, which is now choosing to cut off large payments to Georgia.
– This is only the first step, there will be more. Our direct support to the Georgian government will be limited, says Pawel Herczynski, the EU’s ambassador to Georgia.
After huge protests in the capital Tbilisi in the spring, the “foreign agent law” was voted through in the Georgian parliament. Thousands of protesters took to the streets and were met by riot police with both tear gas and water cannons.
The law has been called the “Russian law” by critics and is seen as an approach to Moscow by the Georgian ruling party Georgian Dream. The law means that organizations that receive at least 20 percent of their funding from abroad must register as a “foreign agent”. A similar law was introduced in Russia in 2012.
Freezes support for tens of millions of euros
In December last year, Georgia was granted candidate status for the EU, at the same time the EU was clear that the country needed to take several measures in order to move forward in the process.
At a summit in Brussels, the heads of state and government within the EU expressed their concern about developments in Georgia and that the law “de facto puts an end to the accession process”. Now the EU has also chosen to freeze financial aid to Georgia, to the value of tens of millions of euros, reports Politico.
– It is sad to see that the relationship between the EU and Georgia is at such a bad level, when they could have been at their best level ever, says Pawel Herczynski, the EU’s ambassador to Georgia.
Attacks the defense and the wine industry
The frozen support means, among other things, that 30 million euros to the Georgian Ministry of Defense will be withdrawn, according to Herczynski, who believes that Georgia’s path to the EU is currently closed.
– This is only the first step, there will be more. Our direct support to the Georgian government will be limited, says Pawel Herczynski, the EU’s ambassador to Georgia.
But the announcement from the EU does not only affect defence. Several important sectors are also affected, such as agriculture and the wine industry.
Severely criticized from Sweden
The law was also condemned from the Swedish side and in connection with it being voted through, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) announced that it would have “consequences for relations between the EU and Georgia”.
The law was also criticized by Aid and Foreign Trade Minister Johan Forsell (M), who also presented new support to Georgian civil society.
– It takes its inspiration from Russia and limits civil society. Many of the organizations we give aid to from Sweden work with issues of democracy, fighting corruption and improving governance. They will be described as foreign agents, said Johan Forssell, when the law was voted through.