Georgia has enacted a controversial 'foreign agents' law, which mandates that media and NGOs disclose significant foreign funding. The law, reminiscent of Russia's legislation, has sparked widespread criticism from both domestic and international actors. Georgian civil society organizations (CSOs) have pledged not to comply with the law and are preparing to challenge it in the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The United States and the European Union have condemned the law, arguing it undermines democracy and jeopardizes Georgia's aspirations for EU membership. The law's adoption has also led to concerns about Georgia's geopolitical orientation, with some seeing it as a move away from Western Europe and towards Russia. Concurrently, Georgia has announced a visa-free travel agreement with China and a partnership with a Chinese-Singaporean consortium for the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project, further complicating its international relations. The EU has stated it will not launch accession talks with Georgia following the law's adoption. Only 22% of Georgians support the law. Parliamentary polls are scheduled for October 2024.
"The Georgian people have been clear: their future is with the Euro-Atlantic community. By overriding President @Zourabichvili_S's veto to adopt the law on foreign influence, the Georgian Government has stepped away from these aspirations. The UK stands with the Georgianโฆ https://t.co/rbhRqxncNn
"Georgian non-governmental organizations continue their fight through legal means against the Russian law. We declare that we will not live by the rules of the Russian law and will use all domestic and international mechanisms to hinder its operation until the law isโฆ https://t.co/GcYFrQw81r
German ambassador @Diplo_Peter said the EU will not launch EU accession talks with Georgia following the adoption of the "foreign agents" law as the law contradicts EU values and the union had strongly advised not to adopt it. https://t.co/JOfXu4aAFt
A non-governmental organization in Georgia said Thursday it is preparing a lawsuit in the countryโs constitutional court to challenge a law that critics say will stifle news media and independent organizations. https://t.co/kv3LnY9Vq0
China is entering Russian terrain and visa versa (think of Pakistan). #Velsig #geopolitics https://t.co/PyGhVZWXR5
All those foreigners applauding the Foreign Agents law in Georgia are imposing foreign influence on the Georgian people, only 22% of whom support this law. ๐คก Post inspiration from a friend.
.@Mikiashvili_M to @BBCNewshour: "We are not planning on living with it [the Foreign Agents law, AKA the Russian law]." ๐ฌ๐ช๐ช๐บ More at https://t.co/g8DM4CZbE9, 26:30 to 30:00. https://t.co/alWgkamc7f
Chinese to develop Black Sea port in Georgia https://t.co/xJV4Syj5X1 via @splash_247
Georgian NGOs to challenge foreign agent law in constitutional court, ECHR https://t.co/OeVTIbLEhf https://t.co/Ulp9rXNz4z
Several CSOs opposed to the #RussianLaw are preparing to file a constitutional complaint to suspend the enforcement of the #ForeignAgentsLaw. Furthermore, the civil sector intends to submit a complaint to the @ECHR_CEDH. ๐https://t.co/8abOHBHrql https://t.co/JUAetZ0upr
๐ต GEORGIAN NGOS TO CHALLENGE FOREIGN AGENT LAW IN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, ECHR Full Story โ https://t.co/w2XaLLVzTZ A group of Georgian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said on Thursday they were preparing an appeal to the Georgian constitutional court against a "foreignโฆ
๐ฌ๐ช CSOs to submit the Foreign Agents law to the Constitutional Court (GD-controlled) as it contradicts Article 78 of the Constitution - all authorities obliged to pursue the EU&NATO path. If the Court protracts the case or fails the constitutional frame, it will be sent to ECHR.
The Georgian people have been clear: their future is with the Euro-Atlantic community. By overriding President @Zourabichvili_S's veto to adopt the law on foreign influence, the Georgian Government has stepped away from these aspirations. The UK stands with the Georgian people.
Georgian NGOs pledge not to obey the Russian law (Foreign Agents law). โ๐ป๐๐ป Adopting it is one thing, implementing it will be a new level of headache for the Russian regime. ๐ฌ๐ช๐ช๐บ https://t.co/GqDWX5ewrS
Georgian NGOs vow to defy 'unconstitutional' foreign influence law โก๏ธ https://t.co/PsMOAKHr5y https://t.co/ITAiD33LbF
Non-governmental organizations in Georgia who receive donations from abroad are worried a contentious new law could see them designated as 'agents of foreign influence' https://t.co/tVo1vrvTIK https://t.co/FFC4SEyciQ
Georgiaโs efforts to protect itself from foreign meddling cause US outrage The United Statesโ anger over the new foreign agents law recently adopted in Georgia stems from the fact that non-government organizations and media currently remain the only regime change tool at theโฆ https://t.co/IPmzouTJyQ
Read this ๐๐ป Chinese influences on the rise in Georgia. Can't be a coincidence that visa-free travel to China was announced the same day the Russian law was adopted, yesterday. And today, they are partnering the strategic Anaklia Deep Sea Port with a Chinese co-owned company. https://t.co/jlq5chUD2S
#GeorgiaCrisis Some more information on #GeorgianDream deciding to grant #AnakliaPort project to a #Chinese consortium Granting #Georgian citizens visa-free regime to #China is not a coincidence neither - it must have been a part of the package https://t.co/JQluuH16I2
What the State Department means is, it condemns Georgia for making it harder for the US to influence domestic policies and finance colour revolutions. Every country should have laws preventing foreign interests from buying influence, including the US. https://t.co/TjSFzK7cUK
The Anaklia Deep Sea Port of geopolitical importance will have Chinese-Singaporean partners, the Ministry of Economy of Georgia stated. No surprise that the Swiss-Luxembourgish competitor wasnโt chosen. Link in comments. Here, background story of the port. https://t.co/X8czMXWWrl
Many people in former Soviet nation of Georgia see a new foreign influence law aimed as a sign the country is moving away from Western Europe and toward a Russia they abhor. https://t.co/JL7fBGtFbT
Georgian CSOs published a joint statement in which they pledged not to register as foreign agents as now obliged by the newly enacted foreign influence bill. "The Russian law will not work in our country! It will remain a piece of paper that no one will obey! The authoritiesโฆ https://t.co/7b03JYiQHp
"It should be emphasized that the law on the transparency of foreign influence will contribute to the implementation of the main recommendation of the European Union - depolarization. Therefore, the Law on Transparency will create a better basis for ensuring Georgia's accessionโฆ https://t.co/MrNAMAKRBv
"With this move, the Georgian gov't has taken a firm step away from building a free and democratic society. While the U.S. will continue to support the Georgian people, their gov't should no longer enjoy the support of the United States," Ranking Member of the US Senate Foreignโฆ https://t.co/ILCu3W5Yqw
Georgia passes a law that forces media and NGOโs to disclose significant foreign funding US calls it โanti-democraticโ Itโs like a rะพbber shaming the house owner for getting an alarm system https://t.co/rt4kzapZF6
Supporters of the Georgian government pretend not to know why a Putin-style "foreign agents" law would harm their chances to join the European Union. The EU demands a vigorous civil society, which the Putin law is designed to undermine. https://t.co/ni6PxeILgs
After the passage of the โforeign agentsโ law in Georgia, the US and the EU must bolster democracy in the strategically important Black Sea country ahead of parliamentary polls in October 2024, argues @SalomeSamadashv. https://t.co/wYIROzuXIy
Be sure that what Dodik means by reintroducing the Foreign Agents law in Srpska at another date is this: โI will observe how badly it ends for the Georgian Dream in Georgia and act accordingly.โ EU needs to act NOW, the stakes are too high in ๐ฌ๐ช for the entire region and beyond! https://t.co/2xX05PnqI3
My brief summary of whatโs happening in Georgia and why the EU must step up if it doesn't want anti-democratic laws to spring up in other European nations. Many thanks to @robinwilson250! https://t.co/gNEnRpgN1Z