Georgian Parliament finally passes controversial ‘foreign influence’ law, overcoming president’s veto

The text provoked a storm of demonstrations and Western criticism. The Georgian Parliament definitively adopted the controversial law on “foreign influence” on Tuesday, May 28, thus circumventing the veto of pro-European President Salomé Zourabichvilli. The law, inspired by repressive Russian legislation, was adopted by 84 votes for and four votes against, noted an AFP journalist. Most opposition MPs left the chamber at the time of the vote.

This bill on “foreign influence” was adopted on May 1 in second reading by Parliament. The text notably requires that NGOs and media organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad register as“organizations pursuing the interests of a foreign power”, punishable by fine. A similar law, aimed at “foreign agents”has already been applied in Russia since 2012. It has helped to silence many voices of opponents of Vladimir Putin.

The government led by Irakli Kobakhidze evokes a simple obligation to “transparency”. But for its detractors, the law will weaken the activities of the associations concerned. The opposition also sees it as a repressive project, contrary to the process of accession to the European Union.