A protest action is taking place near the Georgian Parliament building. The rally participants are protesting the draft laws on foreign agents initiated by members of People’s Power.
The draft laws entitled – “On the transparency of foreign influence” and “On the registration of foreign agents” will be discussed today.
Journalists, representatives of the civil sector, and politicians are protesting the discussion of the mentioned bills.
The protestants have brought a wooden wall to the parliament, on which they stick caricature pictures of the representatives of the Georgian Dream.
The police are mobilized on the spot.
Professors of various universities appeal to the parliament, “not to adopt the Russian law.”
“Today, when Georgia is waiting for a historic decision on granting the status of a candidate country of the European Union, the adoption of the Russian law is already working against the interests of the country, endangering the centuries-old aspiration of the Georgian nation – to become a European country,” reads the statement of the professors.
The draft laws were presented by the members of the People’s Power, which is part of the majority. The initiators include Sozar Subari, Dimitri Khundadze, Mikheil Kavelashvili, Guram Macharashvili, Dachi Beraia, Viktor Japaridze, Eka Sefashvili, Davit Kacharava and Zaal Mikeladze.
Initially, the draft law “On transparency of foreign influence” was registered in the Parliament. In order to “ensure transparency,” the said draft law envisages the registration of such non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities and media outlets, whose income (more than 20%) is received from abroad, as agents of foreign influence.
As noted in the draft law, everyone who is considered to be an “agent of foreign influence” must be registered in the public registry in a database with the same name. At the time of registration, it will be necessary to reflect the received income. At the same time, the organizations must fill in the financial declaration every year.
