I want to assure you that the parliamentary discussions will be inclusive in order to find the best version that takes into account the freedom of the active civil society of Georgia, as well as the legitimate goals of transparency, accountability and security, this is how the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili responds to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović. The letter refers to the draft law "On transparency of foreign influence" presented by the People's Power group in the Parliament of Georgia.

As Shalva Papuashvili notes in the letter, both draft laws will be sent to the Venice Commission in order to reflect the legitimate interests of transparency, accountability and security in the legislation, taking into account international standards.

According to him, the Parliament of Georgia is ready to cooperate with international and local partners on this issue.

"Dear Commissioner, I would like to thank you for your letter regarding the draft law on transparency of foreign influence submitted by the People's Power group to the Parliament of Georgia. With the support and cooperation of the Council of Europe, Georgia has made substantial progress in the process of democratic transformation. Our aspirations on the way to join the European Union are confirmed by our commitment to the fundamental principles of the Convention and democratic values, which have created a solid foundation for a diverse and strong civil society in our country. We agree that any regulation that may affect civil society organizations should be strictly based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law. Two bills are currently in the Georgian Parliament - one is an exact copy of the United States' Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and the other is a less restrictive, liberal version of FARA. I want to assure you that the parliamentary discussions regarding the presented initiatives will be inclusive in order to find the best version that takes into account the freedom of the active civil society of Georgia, as well as the legitimate goals of transparency, accountability and security. Dear Commissioner, citizens are the foundation of civil society and they have the right to information about the actors that affect their lives. With the privilege of influencing policy formulation and decision-making comes responsibility. State institutions and political parties have the strictest regulations regarding openness, transparency and accountability, which are recognized by many international organizations. However, in contrast, despite the ever-increasing involvement and influence of non-profit organizations in the decision-making process, there is no effective regulation that ensures their transparency and accountability, including when it comes to foreign funding. The more Georgia moves forward on the path to joining the European Union, the more important it is to understand and respect this common responsibility. Additionally, the existence of such regulation may be important due to security-related issues such as money laundering, corruption, terrorist financing and other threats dictated by the complex regional security environment. It is worth noting that both draft laws will be sent to the Venice Commission, so that the legitimate interests of transparency, accountability and security are reflected in the legislation, taking into account international standards. The Parliament of Georgia is ready to cooperate with international and local partners on this issue. Your Excellency, I confirm my deep respect. Sincerely, Shalva Papuashvili," wrote Shalva Papuashvili.

*The letter was double-translated from Geogrian and wordings may be inaccurate.

source: IPN