Georgia preparing to adopt foreign agent bill in force majeure conditions

The Legal Affairs Committee of the Georgian Parliament resumed deliberations on the bill on transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party against public protests, in its second hearing on Monday.

The session will review the draft law, which calls for registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20% of their funding from abroad, “on an article-by-article basis”, the Parliament said.

The Georgian Parliament’s discussion of the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence again sparked public protests outside the legislative body in Tbilisi on Sunday, with domestic opposition parties, non-governmental organisations, media outlets and citizens involved in a rally.

The country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said “despite appeals made by police, activists attempted to break through the police cordon multiple times”, adding   law enforcement “administered special means established by law to restore order”.

The body also urged activists not to damage inventory and equipment of a stage set up on Rustaveli Avenue, in front of the legislative body, for a public rally announced by the ruling Georgian Dream party last week “to say yes to transparency” on Monday.