U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller made a statement on April 18 on “Transparency of Foreign Influence” draft bill, which says: “We are gravely disappointed by the Georgian parliament’s decision to advance Kremlin-inspired “foreign influence” legislation. As the EU has stated, passage of this law could compromise Georgia’s progress on its EU path.”
The statement says U.S. joins its European allies in urging Georgia not to enact legislation “that goes against the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Georgian citizens — the desire to integrate fully into the EU.”
The statement emphasizes that Georgia has a vibrant civil society serving its citizens and working to improve Georgia’s economy. It states that if adopted the law could limit freedom of expression, stigmatize organizations that deliver these benefits to the citizens of Georgia and impede, independent media organizations.
“Such Kremlin-inspired legislation is not appropriate if the goal is to promote transparency. We urge all parties to protect the right of peaceful assembly,” concludes U.S. State Department Spokesperson’s statement.
Also Read:
- 18/04/2024 – Leading MEPs: Foreign Agents’ Law Jeopardizes Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic Integration
- 17/04/2024 – U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson: U.S. “Deeply Concerned” over Foreign Agents’ Law
- 17/04/2024 – Borrell, Várhelyi: Adoption of “Foreign Agents Law” Would Negatively Impact Georgia’s EU Path
- 16/04/2024 – Charles Michel: Foreign Agents Law “Not Consistent with Georgia’s EU Aspiration”
- 08/04/2024 – More than 400 CSOs Denounce Foreign Agents Bill
-
-
-
-
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)