Public and Media Organizations Cease Cooperation with Government Until 'Agents Law' Withdrawal
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, April 26, 2024
Public and media organizations have issued a joint statement announcing their decision to cease cooperation with the authorities until the withdrawal of the "Agents Law." They're refusing to be listed in the National Agency of Public Registry under any circumstances.
"We will stop cooperating with the government until the government declares the Russian law; We declare that we will never register in the defamatory register in any way; We call on everyone to gather in Republic Square against the Russian law on Sunday, April 28, at 19:00. We also call on everyone to gather if the second plenary discussion is scheduled."
The statement's signatories accuse the government of veering from the country's established foreign policy. They argue that reconsidering the 'Russian law' goes against constitutional norms and betrays the desires of the Georgian people. They stressed the importance of aligning with the EU, echoing sentiments from international partners like the EU, NATO, and others. The signatories warn that adopting the Russian law threatens Georgian democracy and weakens its European ties, potentially leaving it to face Russia.
The public and media organizations have announced their refusal to engage in several key avenues of collaboration with the government. Among their decisions:
- They will no longer participate in meetings with government representatives
- They are withdrawing their involvement from working groups and advisory councils
- They reject any form of coordination with the government in international or other working formats
"We work only for the people. We serve only the people and will continue to work to protect the rights of children, women, workers, the disabled persons, and other vulnerable groups.
It is 80% of these people, especially civil servants, who support and work for Georgia to become a full-fledged member of the European Union. The Georgian Dream forces these people, against their will, to participate in the government's Russian march planned for April 29. With the government's Russian march, the government is trying to return us to the past, while our future is in Europe. The authorities are confronting their children, future generations, civil servants, and the absolute majority of supporters of the European future of this country.
The answer from us and the Georgian people is:
We will never live by Putin's rules. The Russian law will never be the choice of the Georgian people.
Yes to Europe! No Russian law!" the statement reads.
