The Biden administration has accused Georgia’s government of pushing a bill inspired by Russia’s “Foreign Agents Act,” which sparked mass protests in Tbilisi and was hit with a security crackdown.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement Wednesday night: “The United States is committed to the Kremlin-inspired ‘foreign influence’ bill advanced in Georgia’s Congress earlier today and the government officials have adopted to defend it. We condemn the false statements made.”
“The statements and actions of the Georgian government are inconsistent with the democratic values that underpin membership in the EU and NATO, and thus jeopardize Georgia’s path to Euro-Atlantic integration.”
Lawmakers from both parties have previously warned that the law could lead to U.S. sanctions and a cutoff of aid.
Georgia’s law is based on a Russian law passed in 2012, which has been criticized for criminalizing civil society organizations that receive funding from abroad.
Most recently, the Russian government used this law to arrest American and Russian journalist Ars Kurmasheva. She was accused of failing to register her as a foreign agent because she is a journalist for the US-funded Radio Free Europe. Kurumsheva’s trip to Russia was for personal reasons, she said.
The United States and Europe are concerned that a similar bill in Georgia would silence free speech and remove democratic checks on the system.
“Ruling party lawmakers believe the purpose of this law is to silence critical voices and destroy Georgia’s vibrant civil society, which serves as an important check on government in any democracy. That’s clear,” Miller said.
The bill was introduced on April 3 by the ruling Georgian Dream party. It marked a renewed effort to pass a bill that failed in the face of mass protests the previous year.
Lawmakers sent a letter to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on April 26 saying the bill could trigger U.S. sanctions, banning individual visas and cutting off U.S. aid.
“If this law is enacted, it will send a strong message that the Georgian government no longer reflects the will of its people, is actively undermining the EU accession agenda and refuses to uphold its constitution. may be sent to the people of Georgia,” the 14 senators said in the letter. The meeting was led by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Sen. James E. Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, respectively.
“As a result, this bill would cast Georgia’s strongest partners, the United States and the European Union, as villains. will need to be reflected.”
Public backlash against the bill reached its climax on the streets of Tbilisi on Wednesday night after the government advanced the bill on second reading, with the third and final reading for passage scheduled for May 17th. ing.
Thousands of protesters believed to have gathered in Tbilisi were attacked by security forces with water cannon, tear gas and stun grenades, with media reports saying some protesters were arrested or injured. It is being Georgia’s opposition parties called for protests to resume Thursday night.
The demonstrators have attracted the backing of European leaders, who have warned the Georgian Dream party, which supports the bill, that implementing the Foreign Influence Act could threaten the country’s chances of joining the European Union. It warns that it will cause damage.
Critics of Georgian Dream, which won the 2020 parliamentary elections, say the party has reneged on promises to reform Georgia in line with EU standards and admit it to the EU.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday night: “Georgia is at a crossroads. It should stay on the path to Europe.”
“I am following the situation in Georgia with great concern and condemn the violence on the streets of Tbilisi. Georgians want a European future for their country.”
Georgia occupies a delicate position between Russia and the West.
Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and still occupies two regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has been criticized for deepening ties with Russia at the expense of the country’s people’s aspirations for EU membership.
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