Georgian parliament approves first reading of ‘foreign agents’ bill

ISTANBUL

Georgia on Wednesday voted to advance a bill on “foreign agents,” which critics claim will undermine democracy.

As many as 83 members of the 150-member parliament approved the first of three readings required to adopt a bill, which sparked protests in the capital Tbilisi.

The EU defined the approval a “very concerning development,” expressing that the bill's final adoption would negatively impact Georgia’s EU accession process.

“This law is not in line with EU core norms and values … The EU urges Georgia to refrain from adopting legislation that can compromise Georgia’s EU path, a path supported by the overwhelming majority of Georgian citizens,” it said.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was quoted by the country’s public broadcaster 1TV during a press conference in Tbilisi saying parliamentary discussions “confirmed” that "opponents of the bill have no argument against it."

He expressed that the bill “serves the nation’s European integration objective.”

"Third night of dignified protest against the adoption of the Russian law! On one side the people of Georgia, on the other 83 MPs who voted against our European future. The people always win!" President Salome Zourabichvili said on X.

The bill requires organizations, including media outlets, that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register into the state registry. It also obliges them to publish annual financial reports.

The bill, first introduced in March 2023, was shelved after it triggered mass protests, resulting in the arrest of 66 people and the injury to more than 50 law enforcement officers.

Earlier this month, Mamuka Mdinaradze, the parliamentary leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said they will resubmit the draft legislation on the "transparency of foreign influence" to parliament.

Critics say the bill would undermine democracy and have labeled it as a "Russian law," but members of the ruling majority say it would boost transparency.