Georgia’s new “foreign agents” law, set to take effect this Saturday, represents a significant democratic setback and jeopardises Georgia’s membership aspirations in the EU, according to the European Commission.
Brussels views the law as an “aggressive move” by Georgian authorities aimed at suppressing dissent, limiting freedoms, and further shrinking the space for activists, civil society, and independent media.
The European Union’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, have warned that this type of legislation endangers Georgia’s EU membership process.
The EU has expressed willingness to consider Georgia’s return to the EU accession path if Georgian authorities take credible steps to reverse the democratic decline, stressing that the responsibility lies solely with the Georgian authorities.
Recently, the Georgian Parliament adopted a law on “foreign agents,” inspired by existing regulations in the United States, to replace a controversial “foreign influence” law that sparked massive protests in 2024.
In the United States, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) requires entities representing foreign countries, organisations, or parties to report their activities to the authorities.
Georgian authorities argue that the new legislation addresses controversies surrounding the previous law.
However, NGOs fear that this legislation might be used to further tighten the government’s grip on civil society and opposition groups.
Georgia is currently experiencing a political crisis, marked by daily protests since late 2024 with many Georgians considering current government illegitimate.
The protests intensified after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced in late November that his government would not seek to open EU membership negotiations before 2028.
