Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that the law on “foreign agents” will protect Tbilisi from “Ukrainization.”
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By the “threat of Ukrainization” Kobakhidze means the alleged desire of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to deprive Georgia of sovereignty and stable development.
If NGOs had achieved what they actively tried to do in 2020-2022, namely a change of power through revolution, then today Georgia would be in a worse situation than Ukraine, which means that both peace and European integration would be left behind, 1TV channel quotes him.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry responded to this reproach.
The comments of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze regarding the threat of “Ukrainization”, against which the said bill is allegedly aimed, are causing outrage. Using the name of our country in such a disparaging context causes further damage to Ukrainian-Georgian relations. Russification, and not the mythical “Ukrainization,” is a real threat to Georgia,” noted the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
On April 17, the Georgian parliament approved in the first reading the bill “On Transparency of Foreign Influence,” which caused mass protests in the country. The document was supported by 83 deputies, no one voted against.
The bill would require organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “agents of foreign influence.” Most likely, the document will be approved by parliament, controlled by the ruling Georgian Dream party and its allies, journalists write.
Opponents say “this law will harm Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union.”
Critics have compared the bill to Russian legislation “used by the Kremlin to suppress dissent.” Evasion of registration or failure to submit a financial declaration within the established time limits entails a fine of 9 thousand dollars. In 2023, the document was withdrawn after two days of mass protests and clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Source: Racurs
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