Public Defender: goal of transparency bill is “legitimate”, although it can be achieved by changes to legislation- kavkazplus.com

POLITICS

Public Defender: goal of transparency bill is “legitimate”, although it can be achieved by changes to legislation

12.04.24 11:32

The Georgian Public Defender Levan Ioseliani on Thursday said he believed the goal of the bill on the transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the Parliamentary majority, was “legitimate”, although noted this goal could be “achieved by making other kinds of changes to legislation”.

The Public Defender’s Office commented on the resubmission of the controversial bill, retracted last year following the public protests, which calls for the registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.

In the statement, Ioseliani stressed that the above-mentioned “legitimate goal” could be achieved without “disproportionately interfering with the right to association, which should not be manifested in stigmatising organisations and undermining the dignity of people”.

He pointed out that by making relevant changes to the Law of Georgia on Grants and modifying the eAIMS database, it would be possible to “easily achieve” the legitimate goal of increasing the transparency of foreign aid flows and the accountability of recipient organisations.

agenda

Write comment

Warning!
(In their comments, readers should avoid expressing religious, racial and national discrimination, not use offensive and derogatory expressions, as well as appeals that are contrary to the law)

You can enter 512 characters

POLITICS

News feed