The EU condemned on Thursday Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, for reintroducing a controversial foreign-agents law. If the law is adopted, civil organizations that receive over 20 percent of their funding from abroad must register as “agents of foreign influence.”
Georgia’s parliament had previously adopted the law in February 2023. That sparked national and international protests, including from the EU, which called the law “incompatible with EU values and standards” and contrary to “Georgia’s stated objective of joining the [EU].” The protests led the ruling coalition to unconditionally withdraw support for the law in March 2023.
But Georgian Dream leader Mamuka Mdinaradze brought the law back into parliament this Wednesday. He described organizations targeted by the law as “carrying out the interests of a foreign power.”
That u-turn “raises serious concerns,” the EU commented, stating:
The [EU] recalls the public pledge of the Georgian government and the ruling party from last year to “unconditionally withdraw” such legislation. The EU regrets that it is once again being considered despite strong public and international reactions in March 2023. . . . The EU recalls that the European Council granted Georgia candidate status [in December 2023] on the understanding that the relevant steps set out in the Commission’s recommendation of 8 November 2023 are taken.
In the November 2023 recommendation, the Commission noted that the foreign agents law had “sowed distrust among civil society for the government,” which “has persisted even after the law was withdrawn.” The Commission urged Georgia to let civil society operate freely again.
Critics of the law say it is “Russia inspired” and poses a threat to freedom of speech and press. The EU closed its statement on Thursday by urging Georgia to “uphold its commitment to the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and human rights.”
This is not the only controversy surrounding Georgia’s candidacy for the EU. Georgian Dream announced a bill seeking to curb LGBTQ+ rights last week.
