{"id":16987,"date":"2025-01-26T17:26:26","date_gmt":"2025-01-26T13:26:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arvak.am\/?p=16987"},"modified":"2025-09-24T12:01:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T08:01:58","slug":"west-georgia_deep_discordance_3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arvak.am\/en\/west-georgia_deep_discordance_3\/","title":{"rendered":"The 9-month phase of the West\u2013Georgia discordance: the aftermath of the adoption of the scandalous law and the background of the struggle against it (Part III)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Summary<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]<\/p>\n

The work presents the developments that took place in and around Georgia during the period from April to October 2024 (before the parliamentary elections held on October 26), the recirculation and adoption of the bill on \u201cTransparency of Foreign Influence\u201d, the pre-election processes conditioned by it, and the complex developments that took place around Georgia. At first glance, the processes that occurred during these 9 months seemed to relate only to the bill, and then to the law. In reality, this complex historical period was of vital importance both from the point of view of the restoration of Georgia\u2019s sovereignty, and the editing of the country\u2019s truly Georgian-centered reformation, and the Western zone of influence extending to the Transcaucasia. Through the comprehensive disclosure of the realities mentioned in the article, both the actual goal of the West and the true meaning of the struggle waged by the Georgian authorities are revealed. During this fateful period, the Georgian leadership took another important step towards breaking free from the Western shackles that had taken root during M. Saakashvili’s rule. As a result, the country ceased to be a pawn in the hands of the West and, most importantly, did not take the destructive path of becoming a bridgehead for a second front against Russia.<\/p>\n

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\n\u0561\u0572\u0574\u056f\u0561\u0570\u0561\u0580\u0578\u0582\u0575\u0581 \u0585\u0580\u0565\u0576\u0584\u056b \u0568\u0576\u0564\u0578\u0582\u0576\u0574\u0561\u0576 \u0587 \u057e\u0565\u0580\u057b\u056b\u0576\u056b\u057d \u0564\u0565\u0574 \u057a\u0561\u0575\u0584\u0561\u0580\u056b \u0570\u0565\u057f\u0576\u0561\u057a\u0561\u057f\u056f\u0565\u0580\u0568
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\n\u054d\u0561\u0580\u0563\u057d\u0575\u0561\u0576 \u054e. \u0534.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\n\t\t
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\u054d\u0565\u0572\u0574\u0561\u0563\u056b\u0580<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]<\/p>\n

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9-\u043c\u0435\u0441\u044f\u0447\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u044f \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0444\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0442\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f \u0417\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0434\u2013\u0413\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0438\u044f:
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\u0410\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0446\u0438\u044f<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]<\/p>\n

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\u044d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043e\u0434 \u0438\u043c\u0435\u043b \u0440\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0435 \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0441 \u0442\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0438 \u0437\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0441\u0443\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435\u0442\u0430 \u0413\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0438\u0438, \u0435\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043b\u0438\u043d\u043d\u043e \u0433\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0446\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u043e\u0440\u0438\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0430\u0446\u0438\u0438, \u0442\u0430\u043a \u0438 \u043e\u0442\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0441\u0444\u0435\u0440\u044b \u0432\u043b\u0438\u044f\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0417\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0417\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0432\u043a\u0430\u0437\u044c\u0435. \u041f\u043e\u0441\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c \u0432\u0441\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u043c\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0443\u043f\u043e\u043c\u044f\u043d\u0443\u0442\u044b\u0445 \u0432 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0435 \u0440\u0435\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0439 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u043a\u0440\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043b\u0438\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0446\u0435\u043b\u044c \u0417\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0430, \u0442\u0430\u043a \u0438 \u0438\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b \u0431\u043e\u0440\u044c\u0431\u044b \u0433\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0438\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u0432\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0439. \u0412 \u0443\u043f\u043e\u043c\u044f\u043d\u0443\u0442\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u0443\u0434\u044c\u0431\u043e\u043d\u043e\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043e\u0434 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u0413\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0438\u0438 \u0441\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430\u043b\u043e \u0435\u0449\u0435 \u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d \u0432\u0430\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0448\u0430\u0433 \u0432 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0443 \u0438\u0437\u0431\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u043e\u0442 \u0437\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0432\u043b\u0438\u044f\u043d\u0438\u044f, \u0443\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0448\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0441\u044f \u0435\u0449\u0435 \u0432\u043e \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0421\u0430\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0448\u0432\u0438\u043b\u0438. \u0412 \u0440\u0435\u0437\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0430 \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c \u043f\u0435\u0448\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0432 \u200b\u200b\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0445 \u0417\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0430 \u0438, \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u0435 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0435, \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430 \u043f\u043e \u043f\u0430\u0433\u0443\u0431\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043f\u0443\u0442\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0432 \u043f\u043b\u0430\u0446\u0434\u0430\u0440\u043c \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u044b\u0442\u0438\u044f 2-\u0433\u043e \u0444\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0442\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0438\u0432 \u0420\u0424.<\/p>\n

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Vahe D. Sargsyan(1)<\/sup><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The 9-month phase of the West\u2013Georgia discordance:
\nthe aftermath of the adoption of the scandalous law
\nand the background of the struggle against it (2)<\/sup><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Part III, see previous parts I<\/strong><\/a>, II<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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The beginning of the Law\u2019s <\/strong>implementation amid new western sanctions<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The Prime Minister of Georgia sharply criticized the statements and assessments made during the hearings of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives regarding US policy in Georgia and Moldova, where representatives of the US State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) presented reports. During the hearings, it was noted that while Moldova is striving to get closer to the West, Georgia is deviating from this path. The Georgian authorities were advised to withdraw the law on \u201cTransparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence\u201d <\/em>and hold fair parliamentary elections in October(3)<\/sup><\/a>. According to I. Kobakhidze, the assessments given in the US Congress regarding Georgia were unfair; these were attacks on the Georgian state by specific politicians, which is counterproductive against the backdrop of the restoration of relations with Washington proposed by Tbilisi. The Prime Minister of Georgia also added that criticism of the country indicates the presence of certain interests related to Georgia. \u201cFrom this, one simple conclusion can be drawn: there is an interest in Georgia that does not exist in Moldova. Otherwise, no one will be able to explain why they do not talk about the existing problems in Moldova<\/em>\u201d, said I. Kobakhidze(4)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Continuing to present the signals coming from the West in connection with the adoption of the scandalous law, it should be noted that on July 29, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a presentation dedicated to the implementation of the 9 steps established by the European Commission for Georgia on November 8, 2023, within the framework of the enlargement policy, which was attended by ambassadors of EU member states and other partner countries accredited in Georgia, as well as representatives of the embassies. During the event, the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, Asuncion Sanchez Ruiz, once again reminded of the EU\u2019s conclusions of June 27 regarding the adoption of the law on \u201cTransparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence\u201d <\/em>and stated that for this reason, the process of Georgia\u2019s accession to the EU has been suspended(5)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On July 30, the Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze, officially announced that the ministry had prepared everything for the implementation of the Foreign Influence Transparency Law<\/em>, and the registration of organizations would begin on August 1(6)<\/sup><\/a>. The minister also warned of sanctions that would follow if organizations refused to register, which includes a fine of 25,000 lari(7)<\/sup><\/a>. The next day, on July 31, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the suspension of $95 million in aid to the Georgian government as part of a review of relations with Georgia. According to the Secretary of State, the mentioned aid directly benefits the Georgian government. \u201cThe US will continue to support those programs and actions that benefit the people of Georgia, strengthening democracy, the rule of law, independent media, and economic development<\/em>\u201d, Blinken noted, adding that over 32 years of friendship and partnership, the people of the United States have provided Georgia with assistance totaling more than $6.2 billion(8)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In response to the US decision, Beqa Odisharia, a deputy of the ruling party \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d, stated that the Secretary of State\u2019s statement was regrettable, and the Georgian people, according to the deputy, are being punished only for strengthening their sovereignty(9)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On August 1, the day after the registration process for organizations began, the European Union once again expressed concern about the entry into force of the Foreign Influence Transparency Law<\/em> in Georgia and discussed the possibility of suspending aid provided to the Georgian government. In making this statement, EU representative Peter Stano also reminded that the European Union had already frozen \u20ac30 million in military aid provided through the European Peace Facility(10)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Decisions of the Constitutional Court of Georgia<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On August 29, the Constitutional Court of Georgia began considering lawsuits against the law on \u201cTransparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence\u201d<\/em>, filed by 38 opposition members of the Georgian Parliament, 122 public organizations, 2 media outlets, and the president of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili. According to the plaintiffs, the law equates friends and enemies of Georgia, stigmatizes them, and hinders the country\u2019s integration into the EU. The plaintiffs requested the suspension of the controversial law during the consideration of the case on its merits. It was decided to combine the 4 lawsuits mentioned into one case and consider them together. The Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Merab Turava, noted that the lawsuit of the Association of law firms of Georgia (a union of lawyers), filed in the Constitutional Court two days before August 29, would be considered separately and without oral hearings(11)<\/sup><\/a>. On August 31, the Plenum of the Constitutional Court of Georgia completed hearings on the lawsuit against the law on \u201cTransparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence\u201d<\/em>. It was announced that another piece of evidence from the president of Georgia regarding the threat posed by the bill to Georgia\u2019s EU integration had been added to the case(12)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On October 9, the Constitutional Court of Georgia published a decision rejecting the plaintiffs\u2019 request to suspend the Foreign Influence Transparency Law<\/em> as a temporary measure during the consideration of the lawsuit. The Constitutional Court decided \u201cnot to agree with the plaintiffs\u2019 request to suspend the challenged norms until a final decision on the case is made\u201d<\/em>(13)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/em> The court ruled that during the consideration of the case, it was not recognized that providing financial reports and\/or information to the National Agency of Public Registry upon its request constitutes an unbearable burden for organizations and makes their activities impossible. The conclusion states: the plaintiffs failed to convince the court that until a final decision is made, public trust in the activities of NGOs and media with \u201cnegative connotations\u201d<\/em> would be undermined to such an extent that their business reputation would suffer so much that a complete paralysis of their work would likely follow, or it would become impossible to restore trust in them. The court was also not convinced by the arguments that the Foreign Influence Transparency Law<\/em> harms the process of Georgia\u2019s Euro-Atlantic integration, as a result of which Georgia would lose a real opportunity for integration into the EU and NATO.<\/p>\n

Recall that the plaintiffs argued that the law contradicts Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia, which obliges constitutional bodies, within their powers, to take all measures to ensure Georgia\u2019s full integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. \u201cBased on the above, the plaintiff did not justify why the law causes such consequences that cannot be corrected by recognizing it as unconstitutional. Simultaneously, it was not identified that the suspension of the disputed law is an effective mechanism to prevent the threats indicated by the plaintiff. Considering all the above, there are no grounds in the present case for suspending the disputed law to protect the objectives of Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia. …Consequently, no grounds were found why the suspension of the law before its substantive consideration would prevent the risks of deteriorating relations with the European Union\u201d,<\/em> the conclusion states.<\/p>\n

Initial indicators following the Law\u2019s implementation: a<\/strong>\u00a0new discussion on percentage ratios<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On September 2, 2024, the deadline for voluntary registration in the Register of organizations representing foreign interests expired. According to published data, about 50 organizations applied to the register, indicating that they meet the registration criteria but do not intend to register. According to the first Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tgheshelashvili, by the deadline for registration, 476 non-governmental organizations and media outlets financed from foreign sources had applied for registration(14)<\/sup><\/a>. According to the deputy minister\u2019s explanation, after the registration deadline, it will be carried out with a fine, and NGOs that refuse to register will be identified during monitoring and entered into the register, paying a fine for the delay until they can no longer afford it, after which a completely different regime may be implemented.<\/p>\n

During the law\u2019s consideration in the Constitutional Court, Western media widely covered the opinions of Georgian NGO representatives who opposed the law and, at that stage, also opposed registration, stating that \u201cof the approximately 30,000 NGOs operating in Georgia, only about 1.5% registered as foreign agents by the September 2 deadline\u201d<\/em>(15)<\/sup><\/a>. The same was claimed by the leader of the opposition party \u201cLelo for Georgia\u201d, Mamuka Khazaradze, to which the Executive Secretary of the ruling party \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d, Mamuka Mdinaradze, responded, stating that most Georgian NGOs are only registered on paper and that claims that only 1% of them voluntarily registered in the register of organizations representing foreign interests are \u201cdirty lies\u201d<\/em>(16)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On October 19, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, announced that as of that day, 144 organizations had been registered in the Transparency register, and applications from more than 300 organizations were under consideration. According to the speaker, the number of organizations registered in the Transparency register already exceeded the number of organizations challenging the law(17)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On September 5, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze commented on the lawsuits filed in the Constitutional Court of Georgia to declare the Foreign Influence Transparency Law<\/em> unconstitutional, calling them unpromising and pointing out that several organizations were already registered in the special register, proving the absence of stigmatization and restrictions. The Prime Minister also responded to statements by opposition members (Mamuka Khazaradze and others) claiming that only about 1.5% of NGOs had registered. According to him, this was a \u201cmere<\/em> speculation<\/em>\u201d: the number of plaintiffs was about 100, while 450 applied to the Ministry of Justice; if this was 1%, then the number of plaintiffs was much less than 1%. According to I. Kobakhidze, it was unclear how one can challenge a law that provided for one thing: the need to apply to the Ministry of Justice and post information about funding on the website if foreign funding exceeded 20%. In the Prime Minister\u2019s opinion, the number of public organizations funded from abroad could not exceed a thousand. \u201cI don\u2019t have statistics, but I believe that more than half of the organizations funded from abroad have indeed applied to the Ministry of justice, and this may even constitute 2\/3 \u2013 80%\u201d<\/em>, he stated, adding that a maximum of 10 organizations (so-called \u201celite NGOs\u201d<\/em>)(18)<\/sup><\/a> receive 90% of the funding, while the remaining 500, based on the number of 1,000 organizations, receive 10% of the funding(19)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The next day, on September 6, I. Kobakhidze responded to a statement by US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who accused Kobakhidze of allegedly demanding that the U.S. stop funding all NGOs operating in Georgia. Recalling what Senator J. Shaheen had stated in an interview the day before during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Georgia (senators Jeanne Shaheen and Congressman Mike Turner visited Georgia from August 9 to 11 and held meetings with government officials, the opposition, and public organizations)(20)<\/sup><\/a>, the Prime Minister of Georgia asked him to stop funding all civil society organizations that might criticize the \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d government(21)<\/sup><\/a>. I. Kobakhidze reacted very sharply to the senator\u2019s statement, calling it \u201cpure lies\u201d<\/em> and expressing regret that such lies are allowed by a person holding a very high position \u2013 a U.S. senator(22)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Steps of the Georgian authorities: a<\/strong>\u00a0new direction for strengthening statehood<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On September 9, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced an important initiative. Considering that foreign donors threatened to stop funding Georgian non-governmental organizations if they registered with the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the Prime Minister announced that the authorities decided to create a grant program for Georgian NGOs. The program was projected to be funded from the state budget \u2013 at the expense of Georgian taxpayers. According to Kobakhidze, the institutional and financial foundations necessary for the proper functioning of the grant fund were to be prepared within the next two months, and the first grant programs would be funded from January 2025 on. \u201cIn the near future, we will share detailed information about the grant programs that will be funded to fulfill the tasks defined in accordance with the interests of the Georgian people<\/em>\u201d, Kobakhidze emphasized, adding that NGOs that work well and serve the interests of the Georgian people will receive twice as much funding from the state budget as they have received from the foreign donors(23)<\/sup><\/a>. The head of government called on NGOs that want to become \u201cagents of influence of the Georgian people\u201d<\/em> and promote Georgia\u2019s national interests to actively participate in the tenders that will be held within the framework of the grant program.<\/p>\n

The \u201cAutumn\u201d <\/strong>p<\/strong>hase of the U.S. and Western <\/strong>s<\/strong>anctions: t<\/strong>he r<\/strong>eaction of the Georgian <\/strong>a<\/strong>uthorities<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As expected, the Georgian authorities reacted sharply to the offensive statements made by several senators on September 12 during a meeting of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As mentioned earlier, during the hearings on \u201cAnti-NGO Laws and Other Tools of Democratic Repression<\/em>\u201d, the events unfolding in Georgia after the adoption of the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence <\/em>were discussed. Speaking at the committee, senator Jim Risch insulted the Georgian authorities, stating that in the October elections, the Georgian people would have the opportunity to \u201cthrow out the scoundrels and take their future into their own hands\u201d<\/em>(24)<\/sup><\/a>. Responding to senator Risch\u2019s offense, Prime Minister Kobakhidze stated: \u201cRisch said that after these elections, the scoundrels will be expelled from the Georgian politics. I think this is true. This is our promise. After these elections, all, using his term, scoundrels should be banned from the Georgian politics\u201d<\/em>(25)<\/sup><\/a>. Kobakhidze referred to the statements of the ruling party \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d that if the ruling force obtains a constitutional majority in the parliamentary elections on October 26, it promises to start a legal process to recognize the former ruling \u201cUnited National Movement\u201d and organizations in its orbit as unconstitutional for their \u201cnumerous crimes\u201d.<\/em> The Prime Minister called the participation of Eka Gigauri, the executive director of the Western organization Transparency International-Georgia<\/em>, who spoke at the hearings, \u201canother lustration\u201d<\/em>, whose speech was \u201ca typical speech by Sergo Ordzhonikidze\u201d<\/em>(26)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Reacting to statements about the suspension of Georgia\u2019s Euro-integration process due to the adoption of the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence<\/em>, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Georgian parliament, Nikolo Samkharadze, called them \u201cspeculations\u201d<\/em>. According to the parliamentarian, on December 14, 2023, Georgia was granted candidate status for EU membership, and the elections in the country were to be held on October 26. Ensuring competitive elections is one of the 9 new steps that Georgia must take on the path to Euro-integration. Therefore, according to the deputy, no decision could be made on starting negotiations or even continuing the integration process before the elections(27)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On September 16, the US officially announced that the country\u2019s Treasury Department had imposed sanctions against two Georgian government officials (referring to Zviad Kharazishvili, head of the Special Assignments Department of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and his deputy Miller Lagazaouri) for actions related to the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence.<\/em> According to the American ministry\u2019s statement, they were involved in the brutal suppression of peaceful protesters and political opponents. In addition, sanctions were imposed against two Georgian citizens (leaders of the media platform \u201cAlt-Info\u201d) for being responsible, complicit, or directly or indirectly involved in the violent suppression of the freedom of peaceful assembly of Georgians participating in the democratic process and peaceful expression of their opinions(28)<\/sup><\/a>. On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the State Department was also taking additional measures to impose visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgians and their family members who, according to Blinken, were responsible or involved in undermining democracy in Georgia(29)<\/sup><\/a>. Commenting on the sanctions, the State Department representative Matthew Miller stated that the U.S. authorities are deeply concerned about the ongoing anti-democratic actions of the Georgian government, which are incompatible with the norms of EU and NATO membership. \u201cIn addition to the so-called foreign influence law, we have seen the Georgian government repeatedly mistreat Georgian citizens who protested against this law\u201d, <\/em>he said(30)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On September 17, the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed concern during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Robin Dunnigan about the decision made by the U.S. State Department the day before, according to which sanctions and visa restrictions would be applied to Georgian citizens, including police officers. The Prime Minister noted that \u201cwith this decision, the American side has approached a critical line, which, if a similar decision is made, could lead to a qualitative reassessment of Georgia\u2019s position regarding Georgian-American relations<\/em>\u201d(31)<\/sup><\/a>. In response to I. Kobakhidze\u2019s accusations against the U.S., according to which \u201cthe State Department is not to blame, but oligarchic forces that have a fundamental influence on official U.S. institutions\u201d,<\/em> M. Miller stated that \u201cin the U.S., unlike some countries in the world, a democratically elected government makes decisions in favor of our policy and no one else<\/em>\u201d(32)<\/sup><\/a>. <\/em>The next day, on September 18, I. Kobakhidze stated that the sanctions imposed by the U.S. do not contribute to the restoration of relations and are, moreover, aimed at undermining Georgian-American relations. He called the application of sanctions \u201cextremely offensive\u201d,<\/em> especially concerning high-ranking police officers who participated in the August War of 2008(33)<\/sup><\/a>. The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, linked the timing of the announcement of sanctions against Georgian citizens to the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country and the desire to push the opposition, as, according to the speaker, they see what an absolutely useless and shameful opposition operates in Georgia(34)<\/sup><\/a>. He also stated that the restoration of relations between Georgia and the U.S. would only occur if the false accusations against Georgia and the Georgian people were ceased(35)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Decision on new sanctions in EU\u2013Georgia relations<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On October 4, the EU Ambassador to Georgia Pavel Herczynski announced that the European Union structures had decided to cease all high-level meetings with representatives of the Georgian authorities. Recalling the well-known discussion of the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence<\/em> in the European Council on June 27 and the corresponding decisions, the ambassador reported that the EU decided not to conduct high-level visits to Georgia and not to organize high-level meetings in Brussels with representatives of the Georgian authorities due to the anti-European rhetoric, propaganda, and discourses of the Georgian authorities(36)<\/sup><\/a>. On October 8, the EU delegation in Georgia clarified that the annual amounts allocated to Georgia were not fully spent, so what remained from 2022 and 2023 would be lost. The reason, according to the EU, lies in the rollback of democracy following the adoption of the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence<\/em>. The withheld and reallocated funds are distributed by year as follows: \u20ac12 million in 2022, \u20ac72 million in 2023, and \u20ac37.3 million in 2024, totaling \u20ac121.3 million euros over three years(37)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The statement of the EU delegation in Georgia was called a politically biased statement by the first Vice-Speaker of the Parliament and one of the leaders of the ruling party \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d, Giorgi Volski(38)<\/sup><\/a>. On October 8, the European Parliament adopted the resolution \u201cRollback of Democracy and Threats to Political Pluralism in Georgia\u201d<\/em> with a vote ratio of 495 \u201cfor<\/em>\u201d and 73 \u201cagainst<\/em>\u201d, which contained a long list of demands presented to the Georgian authorities. It mentioned the need for sanctions against Russia, the release of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, the repeal of laws against \u201cforeign agents\u201d <\/em>and LGBT propaganda. The resolution also called on the EU to freeze all funding to the Georgian government and impose sanctions against the founder of \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d, Bidzina Ivanishvili, and all those responsible for \u201cundermining democracy\u201d<\/em>(39)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to the resolution, there is a growing cult of Stalin and nostalgia for the Soviet period in Georgia. According to the European deputies, the Georgian authorities support this, which emphasizes their \u201ccloser ties with Russia\u201d.<\/em> It was noted that on May 28, the parliament, despite the calls of Georgia\u2019s European partners and mass protests in the country, adopted the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence<\/em>, overcoming the veto of president Salome Zourabichvili. This law, according to European deputies, was designed \u201cbased on the model of foreign agent legislation in Russia\u201d<\/em> and in its spirit and content contradicts EU norms and values. It was noted that the adoption of the so-called Foreign Agents Law<\/em> had effectively frozen Georgia\u2019s EU accession process and led to the cessation of EU financial assistance to Georgia.<\/p>\n

The reaction of the Georgian authorities remained the same. The Secretary-General of the ruling party \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d, Tbilisi mayor K. Kaladze, stated that the resolution \u201cis not worth a penny\u201d<\/em>. Regarding the call for sanctions against Russia, K. Kaladze noted: \u201cWe know what war is, how much trouble it brings. We know what sanctions can lead to. If we were a weak government, feared someone, and joined the sanctions, the farmer who works would suffer\u201d<\/em>(40)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/em> The Executive Secretary of the \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d party, MP Mamuka Mdinaradze, stated that the latest harsh resolution of the European Parliament on Georgia is \u201cnot only interference in the country\u2019s affairs and a call for war,\u201d but also an attempt to influence the upcoming parliamentary elections in favor of the largest opposition party \u201cUnited National Movement\u201d<\/em>(41)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On October 11, Georgia received another stern message from Europe: the German Bundestag adopted the resolution \u201cFor the European Future of Georgia\u201d,<\/em> which, along with numerous severe formulations, stated that \u201cin the event of the so-called <\/em>Foreign Influence Transparency law coming into force, there can be no further progress in the EU accession process\u201d.<\/em> In the document adopted by Germany\u2019s ruling parties, deputies also called for the repeal of laws restricting the rights of sexual minorities, considering this a necessary condition for further progress in Georgia\u2019s EU integration process(42)<\/sup><\/a>. The speaker of the Georgian parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, sharply criticized the chairman of the Bundestag\u2019s Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth, stating that \u201cthere are people in German politics and diplomacy who, for short-term goals, undermine the special friendship between Georgia and Germany\u201d<\/em>(43)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the eve of the parliamentary elections in Georgia, amid such attacks from the West, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze once again addressed the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence<\/em>, due to which the EU suspended the country\u2019s Euro-integration, calling it the Transparency of Revolution Law<\/em>. \u201cWe are telling everyone, including specific foreign entities, please, you can try to organize a revolution in Georgia; naturally, these attempts will be unsuccessful, but if you want to organize a revolution in Georgia, please do it transparently,\u201d<\/em> said Irakli Kobakhidze, who called the announcement of the new law a \u201cRussian Law\u201d<\/em> and \u201cthe scam of the century\u201d<\/em> by opponents in Georgia and beyond(44)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Georgia-Moldova: an unfair comparison according to Georgian authorities<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On the eve of the parliamentary and presidential elections in Georgia and Moldova, respectively, on October 14, 2024, at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers discussed the situation in Georgia and Moldova. Speaking at a press conference after the meeting of EU foreign ministers, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-president of the European Commission Josep Borrell, who also chaired the council meeting, stated that Brussels highly appreciates the resilience of the Moldovan government in facing these \u201cunprecedented challenges\u201d<\/em>, adding that the EU will maintain its support. In his opinion, in contrast, the situation in Georgia \u201cpaints a bleaker picture\u201d<\/em>. \u201cThe recent actions of the ruling party, its statements, and election promises are taking the country away from the European path and signaling a shift towards authoritarianism. That is why the EU accession process is de facto halted<\/em>\u201d, said Josep Borrell(45)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to Irakli Kirtzkhalia, a deputy of the ruling party \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d, Josep Borrell is guided by \u201cdouble standards\u201d,<\/em> and his statement about the pre-election situation in Georgia is \u201cextremely unfair\u201d <\/em>and detached from any reality. According to the deputy, Josep Borrell\u2019s statement directly insults all published reports and studies about Georgia(46)<\/sup><\/a>. In turn, the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, responding to the criticism of the EU\u2019s chief diplomat, stated that comparing Georgia with Moldova in a negative context, when there is evidence of superiority, is offensive. \u201cYou know that Georgia surpasses Moldova in all parameters, whether it is democracy, human rights, or the economy. …Georgia\u2019s economy is $9 billion larger, and this is partly due to the fact that Georgia, unlike Moldova, has very strong state institutions. …As for democracy and human rights, it should be reminded that one after another, political parties and media were banned in Moldova. In reality, there are only two media outlets broadcasting nationwide \u2013 the first channel of the public broadcaster and the second channel of the public broadcaster,\u201d<\/em> – noted the Prime Minister of Georgia(47)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Freezing the decade-long \u201cWardrop Dialogue\u201d: \u0430<\/strong>\u00a0pre-election signal from the UK<\/strong><\/h5>\n

In the pre-election stage, the Georgian authorities received another negative signal from the UK: on October 15, British Ambassador to Georgia Gareth Ward stated in an extensive interview that the UK decided to freeze the annual high-level \u201cWardrop Dialogue\u201d between ministers. This dialogue format is named after one of the first British diplomats in Georgia, Oliver Wardrop. It covers areas of cooperation such as foreign policy, defense, security, economy, and trade. According to the ambassador, the reason is also the adoption of the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence<\/em>. \u201cRelations between the UK and Georgia, as well as other Western partners, have suffered due to the steps taken by the Georgian government this year. We were concerned when the parliament passed a law restricting the activities of civil society, although it faced significant public resistance and pledged not to put this law back on the agenda. We were disappointed when the leaders of \u2018Georgian Dream\u2019 began promoting conspiracy theories and suggesting that Western partners were undermining Georgia. We were shocked when \u2018Georgian Dream\u2019 promised in its election program to ban opposition parties. …We also canceled planned high-level defense talks and suspended a new cybersecurity program. After the elections, regardless of who will be in the government, we hope to see clear evidence of a return to the Euro-Atlantic path to restore trust and return to close partnership,<\/em>\u201d said the ambassador(48)<\/sup><\/a>. It should be noted that the \u201cWardrop Dialogue\u201d platform, created in 2014, is being frozen for the first time.<\/p>\n

Lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On October 17, the reputable Georgian NGO \u201cGeorgian Young Lawyers\u2019 Association\u201d announced that on behalf of 16 media outlets, 120 civil society organizations, and 4 individuals, it had filed a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights against the law on Transparency<\/em> of Foreign Influence<\/em> (in their wording \u2013 \u201cagainst the Russian law and its severe consequences\u201d<\/em>). The official statement indicated that Georgian NGOs are starting a new phase of the fight against the Russian law, as \u201cthe fight against independent organizations by Russian methods not only violates fundamental human rights but also undermines the unwavering choice of the Georgian people for integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. It is regrettable that the constitutional duty, which obliges state bodies to protect all these civilizational choices, is violated by the authorities, and the Constitutional Court refuses to fulfill its duties\u201d<\/em>(49)<\/sup><\/a>. <\/em>Reacting to the initiative, the Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili wrote on his social media page: \u201cThe number of organizations registered in the Transparency Register to date (144 organizations) has already exceeded the number of organizations challenging the \u2018Foreign Influence Transparency\u2019 law (136 organizations).\u201d <\/em>According to him, \u201c…more than 300 applications for organization registration are under consideration\u201d<\/em>(50)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Western attack on the eve of the elections: \u0430<\/strong>nother failed attempt to seize power<\/strong><\/h5>\n

On October 17, 2024, the European Council at a summit in Brussels published a document in which it \u201c<\/em>reiterates its serious concern regarding the course of action taken by the Georgian government, which runs counter to the values and principles upon which the European Union is founded. 46. The European Council recalls that such a course of action jeopardizes Georgia\u2019s European path, and de facto halts the accession process. It calls on Georgia to adopt democratic, comprehensive and sustainable reforms, in line with the core principles of European integration. The European Council will continue monitoring the situation closely<\/em>\u201d<\/em>(51)<\/sup><\/a>. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, commenting on the conclusions of the European Council meeting, noted that statements about undemocratic governance in Georgia, against the backdrop of praise for Ukraine and Moldova, where TV channels and parties are being closed one after another, are unfair, simply because there is no such interest in Moldova as in Georgia. Irakli Kobakhidze emphasized that the criticism of Georgia was completely unfounded, and everyone knew this, and that after the parliamentary elections in Georgia and the end of the Ukrainian conflict, the interest in Georgia will change, and relations with the European Union and the US would be restored (\u201crelations will change, and justice will be restored\u201d<\/em>). \u201cOur message is for Georgia to continue moving forward in such a way as to become an EU member state by 2030. That is, to develop much faster than Ukraine and Moldova, as it has been happening in previous years\u201d,<\/em> said Irakli Kobakhidze(52)<\/sup><\/a>. The next day, on October 18, EU Ambassador to Georgia Pavel Herczynski held a briefing, more reminiscent of blackmail, reminding that in response to the \u201ctargeted actions, decisions, legislation\u201d<\/em> of Georgia, the leaders of the 27 EU countries decided in June to suspend Georgia\u2019s Euro-integration process. According to him, Georgia has already lost $121 million in European aid, but this only concerns current government support programs. \u201cThe European Union has made it very clear that the decisions and actions of high-ranking Georgian government officials have led to the fact that relations between Georgia and the European Union have reached such a low point. …If the trajectory of the Georgian government does not change, Georgia will lose even more. If you, Georgians, decide with your votes not to continue moving towards the European Union, then Georgia will lose all financial assistance directed until membership, and Georgia will lose all the money that new EU member states receive, those with low economic development\u201d<\/em>, said Pavel Herczynski(53)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the statement biased, noting that obtaining a parliamentary majority by one party does not mean one-party rule. It is the choice of people, which everyone must respect. According to him, in the 2020 parliamentary elections, \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d received the votes of every second voter. This meant that the will of the people was for \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d to govern the country without the participation of the former ruling party \u201cUnited National Movement\u201d or any of its affiliates(54)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Signals, messages, and statements from the West, which turned into warnings, threats, and blackmail before the parliamentary elections in Georgia, have already become familiar to the Georgian authorities, and daily reactions to these attacks have become an integral part of their pre-election vocabulary. The latest was a joint statement regarding Georgia by the ministries of European affairs of 13 EU member states, distributed on October 21, according to which Georgia would not be able to become an EU member if the government does not change its course. \u201cIn recent months, Georgia has adopted several laws that do not comply with the EU\u2019s acquis communautaire, particularly the Foreign Influence Transparency Law. Due to these decisions, your country\u2019s integration process into the European Union has been suspended. It will remain suspended as long as the current political course continues. …The so-called \u2018Foreign Influence Transparency\u2019 law neither in content nor in spirit complies with the fundamental norms and values of the European Union. It undermines the fundamental rights of Georgian citizens, which are the basis of the commitments Georgia has made on the path to EU membership. The Georgian parliament hastily adopted this law despite weeks of public protests, the president\u2019s veto, and unequivocal criticism from Georgia\u2019s partners. Unfortunately, the laws that have come into force in recent months and do not comply with the European Union and the Council of Europe, especially the legislative package restricting the rights of LGBTQI individuals, further distance Georgia from the path to the EU,<\/em>\u201d said the statement signed by representatives of the relevant departments of 13 EU countries(55)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The speaker of the Georgian parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, called the joint statement by the ministers of European affairs of 13 EU countries \u201cinterference in the upcoming parliamentary elections\u201d<\/em> and thanked the remaining 14 EU countries for not supporting this text. The speaker also commented on another section of the statement. According to him, the interpretation of the European Council\u2019s decision of June 27, 2024, that the process of Georgia\u2019s integration into the EU is de facto<\/em> suspended due to the Foreign Influence Transparency Law<\/em>, is either absurd or a lie. He emphasized that Georgia is now going through a very important stage of development. \u201cIn Georgian politics, the necessary principle of responsibility is gradually, painfully, but still being established. Responsibility for one\u2019s words, actions, appeals to the people and the country\u201d,<\/em> said Shalva Papuashvili(56)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to the founder of the \u201cGeorgian Dream\u201d party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Western sanctions against Georgia were blackmail based on biased information, which had the opposite effect and did not work. These statements, as Ivanishvili noted, are essentially blackmail, and the coordination, according to him, is carried out by the \u201cthe global war party\u201d,<\/em> to which the current opposition belongs(57)<\/sup><\/a>. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, at a government meeting on the eve of the elections (October 24), stated that their \u201cambitious goal is to become a full member of the EU by 2030, and all conditions will be prepared for this. Georgia will be maximally ready for EU integration by 2030<\/em>\u201d(58)<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/strong><\/h5>\n