Could Georgia’s foreign agents bill backfire?
Between bad and worse
ANALYTICS 29 April 2024 - 17:05
Fuad Shahbazov |
In April 2024, the Georgian government renewed its attempts to pass the long-debated foreign agents bill that sparked a new round of nationwide protests with the European Union (EU) criticism of the Georgian Dream government for this bill. The law would have required civil society groups and the media to register as being “under foreign influence” if they receive funding from abroad. The move comes just over a year after the proposals were dropped in the face of massive public outcry and huge street protests in Tbilisi. Although many Western countries harshly criticized the Georgian government’s proposed bill, the head of Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin praised the attempt to introduce that bill.
According to the Georgian Dream party, after adopting the new bill, organizations receiving funding from overseas would be obliged to declare they are carrying out the interests of a foreign power. Unsurprisingly, the bill has been denounced by critics as the "Russian law" because of its parallels with a "foreign agents" legislation used by Moscow to clamp down on criticism of the Kremlin. The bill passed its first reading in parliament on April 17 with 83 votes by members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, while the opposition parliamentarians boycotted the vote.
In the last ten years, the Russian government overwhelmingly banned foreign NGOs in the country making them to suspend their actions and flee the country. The pretext for such a move was “national interest related concerns.” As a result of the crackdown on foreign and local NGOs, Russia nearly severed ties with many non-governmental institutions, which further led to its isolationism in Europe.
Therefore, the impact of the Russian law triggered fears in Georgia that it would slide toward Russia-oriented sphere as many post-Soviet states recently did. For example, Kyrgyzstan recently followed the suit and adopted a “foreign representatives” law that was copied almost entirely from the Russian equivalent. It would apply the designation of “foreign representative” to any NGO that receives foreign funding and engages in vaguely defined “political activity”. Hence, local opposition groups see the return of the draft law as a further indication of the ruling Georgian Dream party’s intention to steer the country away from Europe and toward Russia. The potential for the bill to shift Georgia's political orientation is a major concern for many in the country, who fear a loss of the progress made in aligning with Western values and institutions.
Indeed, the government’s recent decision to move forward with the bill has ignited a political crisis in the polarised South Caucasus country, which has hopes of joining the European Union and was awarded EU candidate status in December 2024. Some argue that the ruling GD government has ties to Russia, though insists on having pro-European aspirations. The passage of the bill could potentially strain Georgia's relationship with the EU and push it closer to Russia, a scenario that many in the country fear.
Unlike the Georgian authorities, the EU, the US and the UK governments have indicated that the bill is a threat to pro-Western ambitions. However, it's worth noting that among the EU members, Hungary adopted a similar law in 2017, while recently pushing a new sovereignty protection law, creating an investigative body with sweeping powers to gather information on groups or individuals that receive foreign funding and may try to influence public debate. These reactions highlight the potential for the bill to affect Georgia's relations with Western countries.
In this regard, Georgia’s decision to review the foreign agents bill reveals the existing influence of Russia in the post-Soviet region, despite debates regarding its waning influence amid the Russo-Ukraine war. However, supporters of the bill hoping to use it in such way should also keep in mind that Georgian society has a positive record of defeating governments that went too far in their authoritarian tendencies, and cool heads may therefore still prevail. The potential consequences of the bill's passage could include a shift in Georgia's political orientation, strained relations with Western countries, and increased influence from Russia.
The ruling party, the Georgian Dream, uses state-affiliated media, social media pages and “administrative resources” to amplify government messages and discredit all opposing voices. Government narratives seek to appeal to national pride by emphasizing the preservation of sovereignty and national interests of the country from foreign interference. This active promotion of the bill by the ruling party raises concerns about the state of democracy in Georgia and the potential for the bill to be used to suppress dissent.
Georgia, as a critically important regional country, plays a significant role in the EU's periphery in the South Caucasus. The ongoing political process, including the foreign agents bill, could have substantial mid-term consequences for the EU's regional influence in countering Russia, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Caliber.Az
1
|
UN admits error: Gaza death toll overestimated, women and children nearly 50% fewer Israeli FM urges Guterres to resign
14 May 2024 - 09:34
|
2
|
Paris' conundrum: Pashinyan over Karabakh clan Assessing France's position on Baku-Yerevan talks
14 May 2024 - 10:40
|
3
|
All eyes on November 2024: Baku, Yerevan on verge of historic peace deal Nations poised to reconcile without mediators
15 May 2024 - 10:33
|
4
|
Ethnic minorities in Iran struggle against exploitation amid resource wealth Ethnic minority marginalization
14 May 2024 - 17:59
|
5
|
Progress toward lasting peace in the South Caucasus Strategic diplomacy in Almaty
13 May 2024 - 09:16
|
Political unrest in Armenia & Georgia amid Azerbaijan's rebuilding efforts in Karabakh
South Caucasus in flux16 May 2024 - 17:18
Assassination attempt on Slovak PM as a harbinger of tension in Europe
Proponents of peace under fire16 May 2024 - 17:06
Azerbaijan, China explore solar energy cooperation in liberated areas
16 May 2024 - 16:55
Azerbaijani, Armenian Parliament Speakers meet in Geneva
16 May 2024 - 16:54
Rheinmetall to open air defence manufacturing plant in Ukraine
16 May 2024 - 16:42
Georgian PM off to Türkiye for high-level meetings
16 May 2024 - 16:30
Understanding Xi Jinping's visit to Paris
Implications for China-EU relations/VIDEO16 May 2024 - 16:20
Russia, China issue joint demand for US to halt military-biological activities
16 May 2024 - 16:18
Paving roads to future: Aghdam's renaissance in motion
VIDEO16 May 2024 - 16:06
COP29 holds great importance in informing sectors about their climate change commitments
UN Resident Coordinator says16 May 2024 - 15:53
Azerbaijan, Belarus ink range of diverse agreements
PHOTO16 May 2024 - 15:52
ICRC personnel visit Karabakh separatists in Baku pre-trial detention centre
16 May 2024 - 15:43
Azerbaijani, Belarusian presidents affirm strong bilateral ties in expanded meeting
16 May 2024 - 15:43
Azerbaijan's COP hosting garners pride from Turkish committee chair
16 May 2024 - 15:31
Azerbaijan focuses on climate action and energy transition ahead of COP29
Climate change champion's interview with Business Green16 May 2024 - 15:13
Armenian PM replaces troops on border with Azerbaijan with border guards
16 May 2024 - 15:13
Iran summons Australian charge d’affaires over "illegal sanctions"
16 May 2024 - 14:54
Georgia accuses EU FMs of aiding government overthrow attempt
16 May 2024 - 14:37
Azerbaijani artillery units enhance shooting proficiency through tactical exercises
VIDEO16 May 2024 - 14:29
Resettlement planned for two villages in Gubadli District by year's end
16 May 2024 - 14:19
Baku Initiative Group, 14 political movements condemn French government's actions in New Caledonia
16 May 2024 - 14:07
Kazakhstan invites Vietnam to explore opportunities of Middle Corridor
16 May 2024 - 13:54
Azerbaijan denounces French minister's unfounded allegations
16 May 2024 - 13:41
Azerbaijan's top trading partners and foreign trade trends in January-April 2024
16 May 2024 - 13:28
State of emergency takes effect in New Caledonia after four killed in riots
16 May 2024 - 13:15
Xi lauds China-Russia ties as Putin arrives in Beijing
16 May 2024 - 13:02
Court prolongs arrest of separatist Vardanyan
UPDATED16 May 2024 - 12:53
Menendez was a "senator on the take," prosecutor says, while his lawyers blame his wife
First details of pro-Armenian bribetaker's trial16 May 2024 - 12:50
Michael Roth's brazen role in manupulations in the South Caucasus
Unmasking the West's true agenda16 May 2024 - 12:39
Armenian PM clarifies delimitation principle with Azerbaijan
16 May 2024 - 12:27
Police сommence detentions near government building in Yerevan amid revanchist rally
16 May 2024 - 12:15
Azerbaijan hosts official welcome ceremony for Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko
16 May 2024 - 12:04
Environmental Protection First reveals map exposing Armenia's illegal mining operations
PHOTO16 May 2024 - 12:03
Cypriot president advocates for Turkic solidarity and cooperation with Baku
16 May 2024 - 11:51
Head of UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Azerbaijan affirms strong UN backing for COP29 chairmanship
16 May 2024 - 11:39
Ex-president Sargsyan's ally apprehended in Armenia for major embezzlement charges
16 May 2024 - 11:27
Armenian PM hails results of May 15 delimitation meeting with Azerbaijan, calling it great success
16 May 2024 - 11:24
EU adds Russian media outlets to sanctions list despite Kremlin warning
16 May 2024 - 11:15
Official representatives of three nations adopt Baku Communiqué
16 May 2024 - 11:02
Beijing and Baku speed up trade and economic dynamics
Caliber.Az review16 May 2024 - 10:49