People’s Power slams UNM’s ‘lobbying abroad’, cites FARA reports

A member of the People’s Power party, Zurab Kadagidze, has criticised the opposition United National Movement (UNM) and its affiliates for alleged extensive lobbying activities abroad.

Kadagidze’s comments on Wednesday followed the publication of information by the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which tracks foreign lobbying and influence operations. He questioned the scale of funds reportedly spent by the UNM and its allies, particularly on lobbyist Joe Wilson, suggesting the amounts paid for posts and photographs raised concerns about spending on statements by higher-level foreign politicians.

“Imagine the scale - what amounts has the UNM and its satellites spent on lobbying abroad?” Kadagidze wrote. “Joe Wilson juggles posts today, while foreign media reports claims that former President [Mikheil] Saakashvili has been ‘killed’ and democracy is at risk. Officially, according to documents, how much does it cost to hire such ‘losers’? If a photo with Wilson or a post costs millions, imagine the sums paid for statements by Borrell, Kubilius, MEPs, and senior officials in the Biden administration.”

Kadagidze also accused opposition-linked figures of attempting to influence domestic and international opinion against Georgia, citing alleged campaigns against court rulings and legislation related to Russia. He said the activities “form a coordinated pattern of foreign influence, which Georgian authorities had identified since 2022.”

He added: “Today, thanks to strict legal measures and maximum public vigilance, foreign influence networks in Georgia are fully identified. Extremism is no longer funded domestically; the only option left for them is to seek support abroad.”