According to Khatia Dekanoidze, one of the leaders of the National Movement, both draft laws on foreign influences registered in the Parliament by People's Power are Russian and "practically do not differ from each other".

As Dekanoidze said at a briefing held in the Parliament, "any person who enters into the discussion of these draft laws and decides to support one of them will be the main obstacle on the way to European integration".

"The Georgian Dream government continues to sabotage Georgia's candidate status and the European integration of Georgia in general. A few weeks ago, Ivanishvili's deputies, People's Power, registered a Russian draft law that cuts off all oxygen from civil society. This bill has been assessed by international partners as a Russian bill, it was responded Kelly Degnan, State Department, EU, saying that the adoption of any such bill with changes would undermine Georgia's European integration. There was also a statement from the United Nations, which noted that sustainable development in Georgia would be jeopardized if this draft law was passed.

After a few weeks, today the second version of the draft law is registered at the Bureau, which is supposedly a much more rigid version and provides for 5 years of imprisonment for individuals, as well as the implementation of these political execution norms for all people. But in reality, if this draft law is registered today and the Parliament enters into the joint discussion of these two draft laws, it will not give any change to the society. Both options are Russian. This is the document with the content of the Russian law, which destroys the integration into the European Union and destroys all the space for the non-governmental sector and the people who help the citizens of Georgia. This bill is against the Constitution of Georgia," said Khatia Dekanoidze.

For information, "On the registration of foreign agents" - this is the name of the second draft law, which will be presented at today's session of the Bureau of the Parliament.

The authors of the project are the deputies of People's Power from the majority: Sozar Subari, Dimitri Khundadze, Mikheil Kavelashvili, Guram Macharashvili, Dachi Beraia and Viktor Japaridze.

Based on the project, any natural and legal person who receives financing from abroad will have the obligation to register as a foreign agent.

The law will not apply to diplomats, consuls and employees of the diplomatic service and consular institution.

The law also does not apply to officials of a foreign country, a person who engages in charitable activities and a person "who engages in religious, educational, scientific, academic or artistic activities in good faith".

According to the bill, entities that meet the criteria of being an agent of a foreign power established by the bill are required to apply to the General Prosecutor and request registration as an agent of a foreign power.

Non-fulfilment or improper fulfillment of the obligation stipulated by the Law "On registration of foreign agents" shall result in criminal liability and shall be punishable by a fine or imprisonment for a term of up to 5 years.

On behalf of the initiators of the bill, the bill "On transparency of foreign influence" was also initiated in the Parliament.

The mentioned project envisages the registration of such non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities and media outlets as agents of foreign influence, whose income (more than 20%) is received from abroad. According to the same draft law, everyone who is considered to be an agent of foreign influence must be registered in the public registry in the database with the same name.

source: IPN