Ex-PM Kvirikashvili slams bill on transparency of foreign influence

Former prime minister under the Georgian Dream government, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, on Tuesday slammed the bill on transparency of foreign influence proposed by former GD members who still remain in the parliamentary majority. 

 

Responding to the bill via his social media post, the former official said the draft law that envisages registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets as agents of foreign influence if they obtain more than 20 percent of their incomes from abroad, could cause an “irreversible damage” to Georgia’s European Union aspirations. 

 

“In the existing international or domestic political context, the introduction of the legislative initiative and the public discussion on the transparency of foreign influence have already, unfortunately, significantly damaged the democratic image of Georgia”, he said. 

 

The former official expressed hope that the current ruling team would not take such a step that could harm Georgia’s obtaining the  EU membership candidate status later this year.