TBILISI, Georgia – Georgia’s parliament voted in first reading to approve a proposed law that would require media outlets and non-commercial organizations to register as being under foreign influence if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
Thousands of people gathered in front of parliament to protest. Opponents say the proposal would obstruct Georgia’s long-sought prospects of joining the European Union. They denounce it as “Russian law” because Moscow uses similar legislation to stigmatize independent media outlets and organizations seen as being at odds with the Kremlin.
“If adopted, it will align Georgia with Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus and with countries where human rights are trampled on. This will destroy Georgia’s European path,” said Giorgi Rukhadze, founder of the Georgian Center for Strategic Analysis.
In an online statement on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described the parliament’s move as “a very worrying development” and warned that “the final adoption of this legislation would have a negative impact on Georgia’s progress in its path to the EU”.
“This law does not comply with EU fundamental norms and values,” said Borrell.
Borrell said that “Georgia has a vibrant civil society” which is a key part of its quest for EU membership.
“The proposed legislation would limit the ability of civil society and media organizations to operate freely, could limit freedom of expression and unfairly stigmatize organizations that provide benefits to the citizens of Georgia,” he added.
Although Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili can veto the law if it is approved by parliament at third reading, the ruling party can override the veto by obtaining 76 votes. Then the president of parliament can sanction it.
The bill is almost identical to a proposal that the ruling party was pressured to withdraw last year after large street protests. Police in the capital, Tbilisi, used tear gas on Tuesday to disperse a large demonstration in front of parliament.
Wednesday saw an even bigger rally. Speaking there, opposition lawmaker Aleksandre Ellisashvili denounced the lawmakers who voted for the bill as “traitors” and said the rest of Georgia will show them that “the people are the power, not the traitorous government.”
The only change to the wording of the previous bill says that non-commercial organizations and media outlets that receive 20% or more of their funding from abroad would have to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power”. The previous bill said “agents of foreign influence.”
Zaza Bibilashvili, from the civil society group Chavchavadze Center, called voting on the law an “existential choice.”
He suggested that an Iron Curtain would be created between Georgia and the EU, calling it a way to keep Georgia “in the Russian sphere of influence and away from Europe.”
freedom of expression and unfairly stigmatize organizations that provide benefits to the citizens of Georgia,” he added.
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