Georgian prime minister determined to push moot foreign agent bill through parliament

By Davit Kachkachishvili

TBILISI, Georgia (AA) – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze confirmed Sunday that the parliament will vote on the contentious "transparency of foreign influence" bill despite protests.

In a news briefing in the capital Tbilisi, Kobakhidze criticized the opposition for avoiding constructive discussions on the issue and expressed their openness to dialogue with international partners.

He reiterated the government's determination to pass the bill, claiming strong support from over 80% of Georgians for NGO transparency and over 60% for the legislation itself.

The government plans to hold sessions on Monday and Tuesday to pass the bill in its third and final vote, following approval in previous rounds.

Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili, however, has reiterated her opposition to the bill, labeling it a "Russian law" and promising to veto it if passed.

Despite her objections, the bill has already cleared two parliamentary approvals on April 17 and May 1. The country’s ruling Georgian Dream party has the majority in parliament to overcome a veto by the president.

Georgia has seen nearly a month of protests against the draft law, which stipulates that non-governmental organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad must register as pursuing foreign interests or face fines.

*Writing by Muhammed Yasin Gungor in Istanbul