Georgia’s Parliament Passes “Transparency of Foreign Influence” Law

Summary:

On May 28, 2024, the Georgian parliament overrode (via a simple majority) President Salome Zourabichvili’s veto and passed a law titled “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” (Zourabichvili is a political independent). The legislation, which the U.S. Department of State has called “Kremlin-inspired,” was introduced in April 2024 after the parliament shelved an earlier version last year amid protests and Western criticism. The legislation requires nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and media outlets that receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as organizations “pursuing the interest of a foreign power.” The parliament initially passed the law on May 14, despite mass protests and expressions of concern by U.S. and European officials.

On May 23, the State Department announced a “comprehensive review” of U.S.-Georgia bilateral cooperation and a new visa restriction policy that “will apply to individuals who are responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia, as well as their family members.” Some Members of Congress have introduced related legislation and may weigh the implications of the law’s passage for Georgia’s ongoing democratization, European Union (EU) and NATO integration efforts, defense against Russian aggression and malign influence, and U.S. assistance.