The United States of America Representatives House Members, the Helsinki Commission Chairman, Republican Joe Wilson, and Commission member, Democrat Steve Cohen, are calling on the Georgian authorities to abandon the Russian-style bill on Foreign Agents. According to their statement, Georgia should turn away from the destructive path and return to the liberal democratic trajectory.
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"It is appalling to see Georgia's government so brazenly attack the will of its people and its relationship with the United States, and the EU," the congressmen said in a statement.
They note that the United States is a loyal friend of Georgia, providing it with security, political, and financial assistance worth billions of dollars.
They note that the United States is a loyal friend of Georgia, providing it with security, political, and financial assistance worth billions of dollars.
"Russia, by contrast, has only brought misery, destruction, and military occupation. Comparisons to FARA (Foreign Agent Registration Act) or other Western foreign influence monitoring mechanisms is deliberate disinformation that parrot the Kremlin talking points.
The United States remains a friend to Georgian peoples’ democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and we will continue to support these principles," said Wilson and Cohen.
On April 3, 2024, the ruling Georgian Dream once again initiated the Russian Law on Foreign Agents in Parliament, which had been withdrawn a year ago due to thousands protesting and the promise that it would never be adopted again. The Russian Law requires independent media and non-governmental organizations that operate with grant support from international organizations and cannot be controlled by the government or related groups to register as Foreign Agents.
The European Union, the US State Department, the United Nations, and international organizations have called on the Georgian authorities not to adopt a law that is incompatible with the values of the European Union and that threatens the freedom and existence of the media and the civil sector.
Protests against the Russian Law have been taking place in Tbilisi, near the parliament, since April 15. In contrast, Georgian Dream is holding a "universal public meeting" in front of the parliament building on April 29 in support of the Russian law. Employees in public services are obliged to participate in the action.
