Georgia set to approve ‘foreign agents’ law amid growing Western backlash

Despite weeks of widespread protests and international condemnation, Georgia is set to pass a law on Tuesday that would designate Western NGOs as “foreign agents” — likely incurring U.S. sanctions and destroying Tbilisi’s hopes of joining the EU.

As lawmakers prepare to cast their votes and demonstrators gather outside the parliament building, what happens next could decide the future of the South Caucasus country for years to come.

What is happening?

In April, the governing Georgian Dream party announced it would revive its efforts to pass a law tightening restrictions on media outlets, corruption watchdogs and campaign groups that receive funding from abroad. Just last year, the government had been forced to drop the idea as a result of massive opposition from activists and the international community, and had promised to withdraw it “unconditionally.”

Under the terms of the bill, NGOs receiving more than 20 percent of their funds from overseas will have to declare that they are “carrying out the interests of a foreign power,” enter themselves into a register and make detailed financial disclosures. Tens of thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets to protest the move, which they fear is a precursor to a major crackdown on civil society. Riot police have deployed tear gas and water cannon while violently arresting attendees and even opposition politicians.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who is not part of the ruling Georgian Dream party, vetoed the bill after it passed a third reading in parliament two weeks ago, blasting it as a “Russian law” that “contradicts our constitution and all European standards.” However, her veto can be overridden by a simple majority in parliament and the government has resolved to force the bill through with an override vote on Tuesday.

Why are they passing the law?

Georgian Dream insists the measures are needed to prevent influence in the country’s affairs from abroad, and has alleged that NGOs are conspiring to overthrow the government. According to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, these groups are trying to “enter politics,” and are “promoting religious extremism” and “LGBT propaganda.”

However, civil society leaders, Western politicians and much of the Georgian opposition say the bill is part of a push to silence voices critical of the government ahead of elections in October. The Council of Europe’s top constitutional affairs body last week published an assessment of the law, which it said was open to being abused by authorities to punish groups they don’t like, both financially and by stigmatizing them with the foreign agent label. The legislation, said the report, is similar to rules used by neighboring Russia to shutter NGOs and persecute activists.

While Western nations have laws to constrain influence, like the U.S.’s Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), by contrast Georgia’s version would apply to all groups in receipt of funds from abroad whether they are acting in the interests of another nation or not. The overwhelming majority of NGOs and media outlets that would be affected are in receipt of grants from countries like the U.S., Germany and Sweden for democracy building and anti-corruption initiatives. “We’re a very friendly nation,” Swedish Development Minister Johan Forssell told POLITICO, “we’re not supporting Georgia because we want to take over Georgia.”

What does the West say?

According to Brussels, the expected passage of the foreign agent law would torpedo Georgia’s planned path to becoming a member of the EU, just six months after it granted the Caucasian country candidate status. The bloc’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has described the law as “incompatible with European values” and several EU countries’ foreign ministers have said it would effectively freeze the country’s candidacy. Polls consistently show that over 80 percent of Georgians want to join the EU.