EU critically views Georgia’s foreign agents bill – Scholz conveys concern to Georgian PM

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz conveyed to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday that the European Union held a critical view of Georgia’s foreign influence transparency bill, scrutinizing it closely. 

Speaking at a joint press briefing in Berlin, the Chancellor expressed dismay over the resubmission of the bill, which had been rejected last year amidst mass protests in Tbilisi, amid concerns of its perceived alignment with a similar Russian law. The Georgian Dream (GD) authorities, however, assert its alignment with the US Foreign Agents Registration Act.

“We, as the entire European Union, view the so-called Law on Agents with great scrutiny,” stated Scholz, further indicating surprise at the bill’s reintroduction. He highlighted that the new version of the bill largely resembled its predecessor and emphasized the EU’s desire for Georgia to refrain from its adoption. 

Scholz urged the Georgian Parliament to take into account both the EU’s critical stance and the concerns voiced by the Georgian populace.”In our discussions, I reiterated the significance of civil society and stressed the necessity for cooperation between the opposition and the government, which are crucial elements for the country’s progress,” added the German Chancellor.

The reintroduction of the bill has already sparked tensions within the country, with GD authorities defending its necessity for transparency in funding domestic NGOs.