On attempts to reintroduce a foreign agent law in Georgia and its restrictions on civil society
B-9-2024-0246
on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: Urmas Paet, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Olivier Chastel, Vlad Gheorghe, Bernard Guetta, Michael Kauch, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Karen Melchior, Dragoş Pîslaru, Frédérique Ries, Ramona Strugariu, Dragoş Tudorache, Hilde Vautmans
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
The resolution condemns Georgia's reintroduced 'transparency of foreign influence' law, urging its withdrawal and calling for protection of civil society and media freedom.¶¶ It demands an end to excessive force against protesters, respect for assembly rights, and accountability for unlawful force.¶ It warns the law jeopardizes EU accession, calls for freezing EU funds to the Georgian government, and asks the Commission to assess visa liberalization impact.¶¶¶ It also condemns constitutional amendments on LGBT propaganda, urges their withdrawal, and calls for release of former President Saakashvili.¶¶
Key points
- Strongly condemns the reintroduction of the 'transparency of foreign influence' law, calling it incompatible with European norms and values.¶
- Urges the Georgian Dream majority to withdraw the law and the law curtailing LGBTQ+ rights, and to stop attacks on civil society and media.¶
- Expresses solidarity with Georgian people and concern over excessive force by riot police; calls for investigation and accountability.¶¶
- Reminds that EU candidate status was conditional on nine steps; the law puts on hold EU accession negotiations.¶
- Emphasizes that an enabling environment for civil society and media freedom is crucial for EU accession.¶
- Condemns constitutional amendments on LGBT propaganda as an attack on LGBTIQ+ community and European values; urges withdrawal.¶
- Calls for release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili on humanitarian grounds and proper medical treatment abroad.¶
- Calls for freezing EU funding to the Georgian government until the law is repealed, and redirecting funds to civil society.¶
- Calls on the Commission to assess the law's impact on visa liberalisation benchmarks.¶
- Calls on EU member states to consider travel bans on Georgian individuals financing anti-EU propaganda.¶
- Calls on the Commission to publish an interim report on Georgia's implementation of the nine steps before the 2024 Enlargement Package.¶
- Calls for close monitoring of Georgia ahead of October 2024 parliamentary elections.¶
Who is affected
- Georgian civil society and media organisations would be forced to register as foreign agents or face fines.¶
- Georgian protesters face excessive force from riot police, including pepper spray and illegal detention.¶
- LGBTIQ+ community in Georgia would be affected by constitutional amendments banning 'LGBT propaganda' and gender reassignment.¶
- Georgian government would face frozen EU funding and potential travel bans on individuals.¶¶