Transparency bill contradicts Georgia’s stated foreign policy goals – US official

Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department, Vedant Patel, on Tuesday criticized the recent actions of the Georgian Dream authorities regarding the reintroduction of a controversial foreign transparency bill, stating that they contradicted the country’s stated goals of integrating into NATO and the EU.

Patel emphasized that while the Georgian government had expressed its desire to join the European Union and strengthen ties with transatlantic alliances like NATO, the legislative activities currently underway did not align with these objectives. 

He noted that such actions were not only inconsistent with Georgia’s aspirations but also reminiscent of “repressive measures seen in other regimes, such as the Kremlin”.

Despite alleged “international pressure,” Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze reaffirmed the government’s commitment to passing the bill, with its final reading scheduled for Tuesday.