Georgia’s President, Salome Zurabishvili, has followed through with her announcement and vetoed the controversial Transparency Law on Foreign Influence last Saturday. This law, which is similar to the one used by the Kremlin in Russia to suppress opposition, has been met with opposition from both Georgian and international leaders.
The Georgian Dream party, which holds control over the Parliament, approved the law last Tuesday. However, now they have the ability to vote to reject the veto. Zurabishvili stated in a televised address that “The law cannot be subject to any change or improvement. It must be repealed.” She described the law as Russian in nature, contradicting Georgia’s Constitution and European standards. The law would require organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding internationally to register as foreign agents, with fines for failure to do so. The opposition believes this law opens the door to persecute political groups and critical NGOs.
The European Union warned Georgia that membership could be frozen if the law is not withdrawn. The United States also opposed the law while Russia accused Western interference. With 84 of 150 deputies in Parliament, the government has a majority to reject the veto and send it back for promulgation.
In an interview with EL PAÍS, Zurabishvili acknowledged that vetoing the law is mostly symbolic but emphasized its importance as a symbol of resistance to obstacles hindering Georgia’s path to European integration. Demonstrations against the law in Tbilisi have been ongoing since its passage led by young Georgians who aspire to be part of the European community.
The opposition leader emphasized that protests are not purely political but rather a popular initiative driven by a desire for closer ties with Europe. The Kremlin’s influence through Georgian Dream leader Bidzina Ivanishvili sends a message of Russian dominance in the region stifling alternatives.
