Ned Price Says 'People's Power' Initiated Draft Law Threatens Georgia's Euro-Atlantic Integration
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, February 17, 2023
A group of deputies who left the 'Georgian Dream' initiated a bill in the parliament "on the transparency of foreign influence" according to which, the sources of income of politicians, NGOs and media should be transparent to the public.
Ned Price, the spokesperson of the United States State Department responded and said that they are deeply concerned about the bill submitted to the Parliament of Georgia.
As Price noted at the briefing, this bill may affect freedom of speech and democracy in Georgia. According to him, Washington has already expressed its concern on the mentioned issue to the Georgian side.
The State Department sees the similarity of the Georgian bill with the law on foreign agents of Russia and Hungary. Price stated that such a law will create a potential threat to Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration. According to his statement, it is false that this bill of "People's Power" is based on American laws.
"We are seriously concerned. We know about the draft law in the Georgian parliament. We are deeply concerned about the consequences [the draft law] might bring for freedom of speech and democracy in Georgia. We have already reported our indignation to the authorities of the Georgian side. The proposed law will force the independent citizens of Georgia, those citizens who yearn for a better future, to remain silent.
We believe that such a law can create a potential threat to Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration. As for the comparison with our laws, this comparison is false, including FARA's statements that the Georgian bill is based on FARA, these statements are false. In fact, this bill is based on similar Russian and Hungarian bills, not on any other American bill," said Ned Price.
