Hundreds of Georgian NGOs pledge to defy ‘foreign influence’ law
Al JazeeraMay 21
Republic of Georgia Signs 'Foreign Influence' Bill into Law
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The Facts
Shalva Papuashvili, the speaker of Georgia's parliament, signed a controversial "foreign influence" bill into law on Monday, prompting widespread opposition.
This comes a week after the legislature, led by the Georgian Dream party, dismissed a veto lodged by Pres. Salome Zourabichvili.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This law is a deliberate attempt at undermining democracy in Georgia. By modeling legislation after repressive policies in Russia, the country's politics are starting to slip worryingly close to those of its autocratic eastern neighbor. This move may negatively impact the progression of Georgia's attempts to gain EU membership.
Establishment-critical narrative
This law isn't an attempt to make Georgia "more Russian." The legislation aims to prevent foreign interference of all kinds in Georgia's political, economic, and social systems. If foreign-funded organizations want to continue participating in these spheres of Georgian society, they must now comply with new transparency standards.
