Georgian parliament speaker signs 'foreign agents' law
The speaker of the Georgian parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, signed a controversial "foreign agents" bill into law, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Georgian service reported on June 3.
Papuashvili made the announcement during a briefing at the parliament building.
President Salome Zourabichvili initially vetoed the bill, which requires organizations that receive foreign funding to be labeled as "foreign agents" and mirrors repressive Russian legislation used to crack down on Kremlin regime critics.
The Georgian parliament, dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party, bypassed the president's veto on May 28 with 84 lawmakers voting in support.
The legislation will partially enter into force later on June 3 after its publication, RFE/RL writes.
Within two months, relevant bodies must adopt by-laws, and the Justice Ministry and the National Public Registry Agency must carry out "preliminary logistical and other measures to implement this law."
NGOs and media outlets that receive more than 20% of their income from abroad, based on 2023 data, must register with the authorities within a month as "foreign agents."
The law allows the authorities to monitor such organizations and obtain required information like personal data.
The legislation was heavily criticized by both domestic opposition and abroad. Its reintroduction into the parliament in April led to massive protests, with the police reportedly stepping in against the demonstrators with rubber bullets and water cannons.
Washington and Brussels have denounced the bill as incompatible with Western values, and voices within the EU called for freezing Georgia's membership candidate status if the law is implemented.
Nate Ostiller
