38 opposition MPs file lawsuit to annul controversial foreign influence law

A group of 38 opposition MPs on Monday filed a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court seeking to annul the controversial foreign influence transparency law, initiated and adopted by the country’s ruling party in May. 

“We believe that the Russian law violates the Constitution of Georgia, undermines the democracy of Georgia, and it is our constitutional obligation to dispute this in the Constitutional Court,” said MP Tamar Kordzaia.

The lawsuit challenges the legislation arguing that it contradicts Article 78 of the Georgian Constitution, which advocates for the country’s integration into the European and Euro-Atlantic Unions. The opposition MPs have also called for the suspension of the law’s operation until the lawsuit proceedings were completed.

This is the third lawsuit filed against the law in the Constitutional Court. The first lawsuit was filed by President Salome Zourabichvili, and the second by non-governmental and media organizations impacted by the law. Despite calls from international partners, the Parliament of Georgia overrode the President’s veto on the law on May 28. The law requires all non-governmental and media organizations receiving funding from the country’s strategic partners to register as the pursuant of foreign interests.

Following the law’s adoption, the European Union halted part of its aid to Georgia, and the United States postponed military training indefinitely.