Georgian PM calls US FARA ‘harsh’, says ruling party’s analogue bill ‘needs adjustments’

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has described the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) as a “rather harsh law” and claimed the ruling party’s proposed analogue of the legislation required “refinement” to align with human rights standards.

Speaking to journalists, Kobakhidze acknowledged that the original draft law was modeled directly after FARA, which he considered the correct approach. However, he suggested that modifications were necessary.

“The first option was to initiate an exact analogue of FARA, which was correct, although this draft law needs to be refined and brought into line with human rights standards”, he said.

The proposed legislation has sparked debate in Georgia, with critics warning that it could be used to target civil society organizations and independent media. While the government argues that the bill promotes transparency, opponents fear it may be used to stifle dissent.