Adoption of foreign agents bill with its first reading “bad development for Georgia” – EU

The European Union High Representative on Wednesday reacted to the recent adoption of the foreign agents bill by the Georgian parliament with its first reading, saying it was a “bad development for Georgia and its people”. 

 

The EU said the bill proposed by former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party who still remain in the parliamentary majority “in its current form risks having a chilling effect on civil society and media organizations, with negative consequences for the many Georgians benefiting from their work”. 

 

“This law is incompatible with EU values and standards. It goes against Georgia’s stated objective of joining the European Union, as supported by a large majority of Georgian citizens. Its final adoption may have serious repercussions on our relations”, the statement said.The bloc urged Georgia to uphold its commitment to the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and recalled the right of people to a peaceful protest.

 

The bill that envisages the registration of domestic NGOs and media organizations as foreign agents if they receive more than 20 percent of their incomes from abroad, without specifying allied and hostile states, was backed by 76 MPs in the parliament on Tuesday, mostly from the ruling party, amid large-scale public protests in capital Tbilisi. 

 

Police dispersed peaceful demonstrators with the use of tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons.