Georgian Parliament supports new bill on foreign agents, copy of American law

The Georgian parliament supported a new bill on foreign agents in the first reading — a copy of the American one

.

The plenary session was broadcast on the parliamentʼs website. 84 Georgian deputies voted in favor, none against.

The head of the legal affairs committe Archil Gorduladze explained that "the Georgian people have the same right to protect their sovereignty as the American people".

According to leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party, the new law on foreign agents will be more effective in combating foreign funding of non-governmental organizations that allegedly support revolutionary processes in the country than the previously adopted

law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence”. Unlike the American law, it does not apply to individuals and only provides for fines for failure to file an annual income declaration. The American version of the law also provides for imprisonment of up to five years.

The explanatory note to the bill states that most Georgian NGOs are funded from abroad and refuse to register as foreign agents. Therefore, a law must be passed that will ensure the fulfillment of these requirements. An analogue of the American FARA is considered the best option, as it obliges organizations to disclose their financial and political relations with the states that finance them.

Whatʼs happening in Georgia?

In May 2024, the Georgian parliament finally passed the law on “foreign agents”, despite opposition resistance and mass protests with clashes in the capital. The United States and the European Union condemned the parliament’s decision. The EU stated that the adopted law effectively halts Georgia’s integration. The United States announced a “comprehensive review” of bilateral cooperation with Georgia due to the suppression of democratic freedoms. Already in July 2024, the European Union suspended Georgia’s integration process.

In October 2024, parliamentary elections were held in Georgia. According to the CEC, the pro-government, pro-Russian party "Georgian Dream — Democratic Georgia" won, gaining 53.9% of the vote. According to Georgian law, this party has the right to form a government alone. The European Parliament did not recognize the election results. Protests began.

On December 14, 2024, presidential elections were held in Georgia. Their legitimacy was not recognized by President Salome Zurabishvili and opposition parties. The electoral college, in which the pro-government Georgian Dream party has an absolute majority, elected Mikheil Kavelashvili as head of state.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.