EU Ambassador to Georgia Pavel Grechinsky said that the draft law on foreign agents submitted to the country’s parliament is incompatible with European norms and values. His words guide the way Reuters.
He emphasized that the adoption of the law could delay the evaluation of Georgia’s EU membership application.
“In our opinion, concerns about transparency [НКО] “Limiting the space of non-governmental organizations should not be used as an excuse to restrict freedom of expression and freedom of the media,” Grechinsky said.
“Georgian Dream” contributed The “Draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” will be presented to the Parliament at the beginning of April.
The accompanying note states that the initiative includes mandatory registration of non-profit legal entities and media organizations, especially those with more than 20% of their income coming from abroad. According to the proposal, all organizations dealing with “the interests of foreign powers” should be registered in a special state registry. When registering, you must indicate the income you receive and make a declaration.
The Ministry of Justice will always be given the authority to carry out inspections and controls to identify such organizations. Refusing to register or submit a declaration will attract a fine of 25 thousand lari (about 9.5 thousand dollars).
Previously They called for “stopping the hysteria” regarding the law on foreign agents in Georgia.
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Source: Gazeta
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.