As the government of Georgia has announced that it would make an effort to pass the foreign agent bill. The bill provided that the civil society organisations that received 20 per cent or more funding overseas would have to register as agents of foreign influence, or they would face substantial fines.
NGOs and civil organisations also refer to it as the “Russian Law.” Georgian media houses and NGOs categorically oppose the Russian law initiated by the government. According to the opponents of Bill the ruling party the “Georgian Dream ” broke its own words and deceived people.
The influential NGO “Rights Georgia” also launched a fierce attack against the bill as per the NGO, “ The Georgian NGOs help people. Enactment of this Russian law will leave children and women victims of violence vulnerable along with people with disabilities, scientists, workers and youth. Moreover it will further cut aid to socially vulnerable families, farmers, refugees, homeless and brave people fighting for their rights. Authorities want to prevent the voices of people living in the regions who use local, independent media to report their plight”.
Similarly while expressing their concern, other organisations stated, “This is hostile law to divide the population, damage the country’s European future, and eliminate free speech which is a basic right of everyone. This is the government’s response to the hundreds of facts about violence, corruption, lawlessness, and selective law, which Georgian NGOs and independent media reveal and publish.”
On the other hand the representatives of the EU, UN, NATO, EU, USA and other international partners have declared inconsistency with the nature of Russian law. After challenging the law last year they openly congratulated the Georgian people on the big victory for not letting the law pass”.
Additionally the concern is also being expressed that the law is a Russian authoritarian instrument to stop freedom of speech in Georgia. Accepting it will make it impossible to open negotiations with the European Union at the end of the year. Instead of following the 9 steps set by the EU the government is separating Georgia from the EU with this law, greatly damaging Georgia’s democratic and secure future”.
As per the large public opinion adopting Russian law will attack the main Georgian values like the feeling of dignity, independence and civil solidarity. This law following the will of the Georgian people should be removed from the Parliament.
