GD Member of Telavi City Council Stands Against Agents’ Law

Levan Berdzenashvili, Chair of the Legal Committee of the Telavi City Council [Sakrebulo] and a member of the Georgian Dream faction, spoke out against the infamous foreign agents law.

In a video circulatedon April 26 on social media platforms he is saying: “I unequivocally oppose the passing of this law to the end and its adoption,” noting that “this decision was important for my conscience.”

Citing international opposition to the notorious Russian-style law, including the European Parliament’s recent resolution, he stressed, “We are being told that if we adopt this law, we may lose visa liberalization [with EU], lose [EU] candidate status, lose everything that has to do with Europe.”

“Therefore, I unequivocally step aside and humbly ask the Georgian government, the Parliament, to withdraw this law,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior officials of the ruling party remain steadfast in their intention to see the controversial law through to the end and put it into effect, claiming that it will bring Georgia closer to the EU, despite clear appeals to the contrary from the West.

“I ask you humbly not to violate the Georgian Constitution, not to go the unconstitutional way, not to betray your country. There is still a chance,” he said. He vowed to leave Georgian Dream if the agents’ law is not withdrawn.

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