Parliamentary committee of Georgia has approved law ‘On transparency of foreign influence’

The Legal Affairs Committee of the Georgian Parliament on Monday approved the bill on transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party against public protests, in its third hearing.

 

The session reviewed the draft law, which calls for registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.

 

Anri Okhanashvili, the Chair of the Committee, said changes in the content of the bill were not discussed in the hearing, stressing the meeting of the Committee had been held “in accordance with procedures”.

 

The legislative body in mid-April approved the first reading of the bill that has sparked public protests and criticism by some of the country’s foreign partners.

 

The Parliament will now vote on the bill in its third hearing within a plenary session on Tuesday.

 

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Sunday said she would veto the controversial bill, however the ruling party has enough votes to override her veto.