Parliament passes "Foreign Agents Registration Act" in first reading

The Georgian Parliament has passed the Foreign Agents Registration Act in its first reading.­

The bill, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, received support from 84 MPs.

The draft law defines the concepts of a "foreign principal’s agent" and "foreign influence." It regulates the following issues: Registration of an entity as a foreign principal’s agent; Public disclosure of applications and other relevant documents for such registration; Submission of annual financial declarations by registered foreign agents; The procedure for deregistration of a foreign principal’s agent; Monitoring to identify foreign agents and ensure compliance with the law. Failure to register as a foreign principal’s agent or non-compliance with the law's requirements will result in criminal liability.

The law’s enforcement will be entrusted to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, Archil Gorduladze, stated that Georgia should have the same legal mechanisms as the United States.

"Just as the American people have the right to protect their sovereignty, the Georgian people have an equal right to strengthen their own sovereignty and independence. The public must know where the money is coming from, who is using it, and what actions it ultimately leads to.

The current Georgian legislation is significantly more lenient than the American law—both in terms of liability and the scope of individuals covered by the regulation,"* Gorduladze said during the presentation of the bill in Parliament.