From today, September 3, the Ministry of Justice has the right to forcefully register organizations in the register provided for by the transparency law, to fine them, or start “monitoring” said companies.
The Constitutional Court has not yet decided whether to temporarily suspend the “Russian law.” This can happen only if it accepts the joint lawsuit of the president, the parliamentary opposition and non-governmental and media organizations, and if it considers that until it makes the final verdict, it is necessary to temporarily suspend the law. The organizing session was held on August 29, 30 and 31. Citizens are waiting for the decision of the Constitutional Court for the third day.
The “Russian law” was signed by the Chairman of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, on June 3 after President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed it and Georgian Dream and European Socialists overturned the veto.
The law entered into force on August 3, two months after its publication. Organizations had one month for voluntary registration in the “Register of Organizations Carrying Out the Interests of Foreign Forces”.
Yesterday, September 2, the Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, announced that 469 organizations had registered in the register, which is not even 2% of the total number. In addition, it is not a fact that all organizations that applied to the Ministry for registration receive funding from international donors.
The vast majority of Georgian non-governmental and media organizations are refusing to register. Some of those who have registered say that this is a temporary decision to avoid fines that they might receive before liquidating the organization.
The “Russian law” will give grant-receiving organizations the status of “carrier of the interests of a foreign power”, and, among others, the US, EU and international funds that give grants in Georgia, the status of “foreign power”.
In particular, a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity which is not established by an administrative body, and whose source of more than 20% of the total income received during a calendar year comes from abroad, is now considered by the government as an organization carrying out the interests of a foreign power.
Related story: Parliament Speaker signs the law “On transparency of foreign influence”
Image: Netgazeti
