Georgia’s civil sector slams Constitutional Court’s decision on transparency law

Representatives from Georgia’s civil society have expressed strong disapproval of the Constitutional Court’s recent decision concerning the controversial Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence. In a joint statement signed by nearly 60 organizations on Thursday, they condemned the court’s failure to suspend the law and accused the judges of shirking their constitutional responsibilities.

The court opted to partially consider the lawsuits challenging the law, which mandates organizations receiving foreign funding to register as “pursuant of foreign influence”. However, it stopped short of suspending the law’s implementation. Civil sector representatives argue that the court’s decision lacked legal justification and ignored expert opinions from both local and international sources.

“The decision not to suspend the law lacks legal foundation and represents a betrayal of the Constitution by the judges,” the statement read. The groups further criticized the court for missing what they described as a “historic chance” to protect Georgia’s European integration process and shield citizens’ confidential information from government scrutiny.

The statement highlighted concerns about “growing governmental influence” on the judiciary, lamenting that the Constitutional Court had, in their view, “once again come under pressure” from the ruling party. Despite “this setback”, the civil society organizations vowed to continue their legal battle against what they see as a move toward
authoritarianism and censorship.

The signatories thanked the two judges who dissented from the majority opinion and reaffirmed their commitment to challenging the law both within Georgia and through international institutions, confident in its eventual repeal with the support of the Georgian people.