The ruling party in Georgia today submitted for discussion in the parliament a bill to oblige the media and non-governmental organizations to declare that they are under foreign influence if they receive more than 20 percent of their budget from abroad, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
The text is almost completely identical to the proposal that the ruling party “Georgian Dream“ stepped down under pressure a year ago after mass street protests.
Opponents call the bill the “Russian law” because it is similar to a law used by Russia to denounce independent media and organizations deemed hostile to the Kremlin.
Opponents of the law also say that passing it would prevent Georgia from achieving the coveted goal of joining the European Union, which last year granted the country long-awaited candidate status for membership of the community.
„Creating and maintaining a favorable environment for civil society organizations and guaranteeing media freedom is the core of democracy. This is also crucial for the EU accession process, Peter Stano said last week – spokesperson for the European External Action Service.
The law would require non-profit organizations and media outlets that receive 20% or more of their funding from abroad to register as “protecting the interests of a foreign power”. This phrase is the only change to the bill withdrawn last year, which stated that the groups concerned should register as “agents of foreign influence”.
Around 150 demonstrators gathered outside parliament today as the bill was introduced, but the opposition is calling for a larger demonstration tomorrow, on National Unity Day, which is a public holiday.
The country's president, Salome Zurabishvili, will veto the law if it is passed by parliament, said her representative in the legislature, Giorgi Mshiladze. But this veto may not be very permanent, because Zurabishvili's term expires this year, and according to changes in the constitution, the next head of state will be determined by an electoral college that includes all members of parliament, AP notes.