Menu

EU to Freeze Georgia's Membership Bid if Pro-Russian 'Foreign Agents' Law is Not Repealed

By
Photo: EU to Freeze Georgia's Membership Bid if Pro-Russian 'Foreign Agents' Law is Not Repealed. Source: Unsplash
Photo: EU to Freeze Georgia's Membership Bid if Pro-Russian 'Foreign Agents' Law is Not Repealed. Source: Unsplash

The European Union will likely freeze Georgia's application for membership if the country passes the "Transparency of Foreign Influence" law, similar to Russia's "foreign agents" law. This information was reported by the Financial Times, citing three anonymous European officials.

According to these unnamed EU officials, the decision to start accession negotiations will likely be indefinitely postponed if the law comes into effect.

“We are clear on this matter. The adoption of this law is a significant impediment,” one of the sources told the publication.

The final vote on the controversial bill by the Georgian parliament, controlled by the pro-Russian "Georgian Dream" party, is expected in the coming weeks. It will occur after the document is returned to parliament, as Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has promised to veto the law. According to Georgian law, a simple majority in parliament is sufficient to override a presidential veto, making it likely that the veto will be overridden.

To recap, the pro-Russian "Transparency of Foreign Influence" bill was passed in its third reading on 14 May, with 84 out of 150 deputies voting in favour and 30 voting against it.

According to the bill, non-governmental organizations and media outlets receiving more than 20% of their annual income from abroad must register as "organizations representing the interests of a foreign power." They will need to file annual financial declarations, and those who attempt to avoid registration or fail to submit a declaration will face a fine of 25,000 lari (over 9,000 euros).

Throughout the bill's legislative process, the pro-European opposition in Georgia has held mass demonstrations in Tbilisi and other cities, which have been met with harsh police crackdowns.

Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022, just weeks after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and was granted candidate status in December of the same year.

The next step for the European Commission is to issue an official recommendation to EU governments on starting membership negotiations. Brussels has made it clear that if the "foreign agents" law is passed, the commission will not issue this recommendation, the European officials stated.

Recommended

Culture

Brainrot – Word of the Year

12.03.2024 16:11
Technology

The Great Undersea Cable War

12.03.2024 10:04
Life

Skip Forward

12.02.2024 16:29
Politics

Black Swan for Putin

12.02.2024 10:29
Life

Top 11 Cosy Destinations in Europe for a Winter Holiday

11.30.2024 09:33

Similar articles

We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them. Cookie Policy

Outdated Browser
Для комфортної роботи в Мережі потрібен сучасний браузер. Тут можна знайти останні версії.
Outdated Browser
Цей сайт призначений для комп'ютерів, але
ви можете вільно користуватися ним.
67.15%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Google Chrome
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux
9.6%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Mozilla Firefox
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux
4.5%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Microsoft Edge
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
3.15%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux