Text: Jinjiang Observation Figure: From the Internet
On 7 March, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence in its first reading, which aroused strong dissatisfaction in Georgian society. Thousands of Tbilisi residents gathered outside the Georgian parliament building, chanting slogans expressing their dissatisfaction with the parliament's passage of the Foreign Influence Transparency Law.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia mobilized a large number of police forces to the scene to maintain order. Police used water cannons, tear gas, etc. on the crowd, and protesters threw Molotov cocktails at the police. Protesters clashed violently with police. Eventually, the protesters were dispersed and some of the protesters were arrested by the police. So why did the Foreign Influence Transparency Act spark such a backlash in Georgia?
First, we need to understand what the Foreign Influence Transparency Act is. The Foreign Impact Transparency Act provides for the State to establish a system for registering the use of foreign funds by non-governmental organizations, and that NGOs that receive more than 20 per cent of their budgets from abroad shall be included in the registration. This includes all non-profit legal entities and media, excluding for-profit legal entities. Similar regulations were first developed and implemented in the United States. Other Western capitalist countries have similar laws.
So is the Foreign Influence Transparency Act wrong? There is nothing inherently wrong with establishing a registration system for the use of foreign funds by non-governmental organizations. Because non-governmental organizations in any country are themselves required to register and carry out their activities in accordance with the law. The sources and use of funds of non-governmental organizations should also establish an accounting system, account according to law, and accept the supervision of the competent departments. It would also be nice to include the use of foreign funds as a separate article in the financial statements.
Why did the Foreign Influence Transparency Act spark an outcry in Georgia? Because Georgians believe that the Foreign Influence Transparency Act is a Kremlin-inspired bill, in which the shadow of Russia and Putin is seen. They argue that the bill largely inherits Russia's "foreign agents" law.
So why did Russia create a "Foreign Agent" law? Because Russia believes that the United States and other Western countries, acting as the world's policeman, they use their economic advantages to fund some NGOs in developing countries everywhere, provide them with funds, and let them engage in anti-Russian activities. Russia has adopted legislation to identify these funds and these organizations, and carry out severe restrictions and severe crackdowns. Especially the news media, Russia is even more strictly regulated.
Now everyone understands, right? Russia's "foreign agents" law is intended to restrict foreign institutions that provide funds to Russian NGOs and crack down on domestic organizations that are seduced by the West and do not share the same heart as the government. Instead of increasing financial transparency.
Russia invaded Georgia in 2008. Georgia, like today's Ukraine, has deep contradictions with Russia and is not a person along the way. From the passage of the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence by the Parliament, the Georgian people have seen the tendency of politicians to turn towards Russia, believing that the government is wearing new shoes and following the old path, which is why it has aroused strong dissatisfaction among the people.
The Georgian president said she would not sign the bill even if parliament passed it.