We, representatives of the civil sector and media working in the Imereti region, categorically oppose the bills "On transparency of foreign influence" and "On registration of foreign agents" initiated by several deputies in the parliamentary majority, which are similar to the Russian law in their content.

We believe that the attempt to adopt one of these draft laws is directed not only against free civil society organizations and critical media, but also against the citizens of Georgia, and this is happening against the background when we, throughout our history, are the closest to the European future. If the draft law is adopted, we unconditionally refuse the obligations imposed by the association agreement and the implementation of the twelve-point plan, which is against the people's choice.

Representatives of the civil sector and media working in Imereti region believe that this draft law will affect every person living in Georgia, including: children and women who are victims of violence, persons with disabilities, minorities, displaced persons, eco-migrants, young people, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, farmers, socially vulnerable families and others. Without local independent media, the coverage of their problems will be threatened and the voice of people living in the highlands and other regions will be lost.

According to the assessment of the European Court of Justice, the so-called  ’’Foreign Agents Law’’ violates Article 63 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (free movement of capital) and Article 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (freedom of association). An infringement procedure launched by the European Commission to enforce this decision forced Hungary to repeal the law.

The adoption of this bill violates the Constitution of Georgia, and it is a sad fact that we, the civil sector working in the region, have to remind the country's main legislators of Article 78 of the Constitution, which concerns the country's "integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures" and we read in it that ’’ the constitutional bodies shall take all measures within the scope of their competences to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the European  Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’’.

We call on the legislators to take into account the European choice announced by the country, the internal political situation, and withdraw the draft laws from the Parliament of Georgia.