The European Union (EU) has asked Georgia to cancel a new law about “foreign agents.” The EU says this law will harm Georgia’s hopes of joining the EU.
The law was passed by Georgia’s parliament on Tuesday. It requires organizations that get more than 20% of their money from other countries to register as “agents of foreign influence.” This law makes these organizations reveal a lot of information and imposes heavy fines if they do not follow the rules.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, and Oliver Varhelyi, the Enlargement Commissioner, issued a statement. They said, “This law negatively impacts Georgia’s progress on the EU path.” They urged the Georgian government to withdraw the law.
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The EU officials stated that the law goes against EU norms and values. They believe it will hurt civil society and independent media. They emphasized that freedom of association and freedom of expression are essential rights for any country that wants to join the EU.
These rights are also part of Georgia’s commitments under its Association Agreement with the EU.
The EU’s statement came after days of discussions among the 27 EU member countries. They tried to make a joint statement, but Hungary and Slovakia did not agree. Finally, Borrell and Varhelyi issued a statement on behalf of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body.
The law has faced criticism for potentially targeting groups that support democracy and human rights. Critics argue it could be used to suppress dissent and limit the influence of organizations that promote EU values in Georgia.
Georgia has been trying to strengthen its ties with the EU for years. However, this law could make it harder for the nation to achieve its goal of EU membership. The EU leaders have made it clear that the choice is now in Georgia’s hands. They hope Georgia will reconsider and withdraw the law to keep its European aspirations alive.
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