Civil Georgia
February 16, 2023

U.S. ‘Deeply Concerned’ about Draft Law on Foreign Agents

“We are aware of the draft legislation in Georgian parliament and are deeply concerned about its implications for freedom of speech and democracy in Georgia. We have expressed these concerns [directly] to [our interlocutors in] the Government of Georgia,” Ned Price, spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State, said on February 16 commenting on the draft law on foreign agents drafted by the “People’s Power” faction, formed by the deputies who left “Georgian Dream” but remained in the parliamentary majority.

He said that “the proposed law would stigmatize and silence independent voices of citizens….” “We believe such a law could potentially undermine Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration,” – Ned Price emphasized.

He also noted that statements that this legislation is based on the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the United States are “patently false.” “In fact…