Opposition parties in Georgia challenge controversial ‘foreign influence law’
Citizens in Georgia protest against the so-called Russian law on foreign influence, Tbilisi May 1, 2024, Reuters
Several opposition parties in Georgia have petitioned the Constitutional Court to annul the controversial “Foreign Influence Transparency” law, following President Salome Zurabishvili’s actions.
The petition was filed by the United National Movement and other opposition parties in response to the law, which has been the center of widespread protests in the country.
The opposition, led by United National Movement’s Chair Tinatin Bokuchava and other parliament members, presented their petition to the Constitutional Court in Batumi, with a total of 38 signatures from lawmakers. Bokuchava and her colleagues argued that the law was problematic and urged for its cancellation.
In contrast, the ruling Georgian Dream Party’s MP Givi Mikanadze defended the law, citing concerns about the transparency of 121 nongovernmental organizations in the country, 79% of which allegedly do not publish annual expenditure reports or have proper online presences. Mikanadze claimed that this lack of transparency further justifies the need for the law.
President Zurabishvili had previously submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court on July 18, requesting the suspension and annulment of the law, which she also opposed. The law, initially proposed in April and passed by parliament on May 14, requires organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents or face penalties. Zurabishvili vetoed the law on May 18, but her veto was overridden by parliament on May 28 with a vote of 84 to 4.
