The experts of the Council of Europe criticized the controversial law on the announcement of foreign funding in the South Caucasus Republic of Georgia and defined it as undemocratic, reported DPA , quoted by BTA.
The law on the transparency of foreign influence should be withdrawn, says the opinion of the Venice Commission, distributed last night in Strasbourg. The Commission is an advisory body to the Council of Europe for monitoring compliance with the rule of law.
Despite mass protests, the ruling party "Georgian Dream" last week secured parliamentary approval of legislation aimed at limiting foreign influence on non-governmental organisations, such as charities and independent media, which receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
"The Venice Commission strongly recommends that the law in its current form be withdrawn, as its main flaws will lead to highly negative consequences for freedom of association and speech, the right to privacy, the right to participate in public affairs and relation to the prohibition of discrimination", says the expert opinion. "Ultimately, open and informed public debate, pluralism and democracy will suffer from this."
According to the Venice Commission, the law contradicts European democratic and human rights standards. She also criticized the fact that the European requirements for a democratic legislative process were not met, because, for example, there was no real public discussion and consultation.
The law has not yet entered into force. Pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed it, although it could be overridden in parliament.
The EU strongly criticized the law and warned that it could set Georgia back on its European path. The Georgian leadership, for its part, forbade meddling in its internal affairs.
Opponents of the law fear that the Georgian authorities may use it as a tool against dissent, following the example of the internationally criticized law on foreign agents in Russia, DPA notes.