French ambassador: France suspends direct aid to Georgia's budget

JAMnews

Tbilisi

France stops budget aid to Georgia

French Ambassador to Georgia, Sheraz Gasri, informed journalists on July 11 that France is suspending direct aid to Georgia’s budget.

During a ceremonial reception in Tbilisi marking Bastille Day, she also mentioned that the process of Georgia’s accession to the European Union is frozen. The ambassador’s remarks were published on the public broadcaster’s website.

“On June 27, the European Council concluded that Georgia’s path to EU accession is de facto halted, a result of decisions made by the Georgian government that are widely known. For this reason, we have decided to temporarily suspend our direct aid to Georgia’s budget and bolster support for civil society and media. The Georgian government must change course for us to resume activities aligned with our intentions, namely, to continue supporting Georgia across all sectors,” said Sheraz Gasri.

As the representative of the country hosting the 2024 Olympic Games, French Ambassador Sheraz Gasri extended wishes of success to Georgian athletes.

“This year, our national celebration takes place in a special context, as France prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, starting in two weeks. It’s an opportunity for us to wish many victories to all nations, including our Georgian friends. Georgia has recently achieved successes in football. We wish you victories in other sports and, of course, success on the European path,” said Sheraz Gasri.

France, the second leading country in the European Union, has begun to reassess its relations with Georgia.

On July 10, it was announced that Germany has decided to comprehensively reassess its relations with Georgia. This includes canceling a major joint legal forum that took place in Tbilisi in 2023 and was scheduled for this summer in Berlin.

Germany has opted out of participating in the traditional annual military exercises “Distinguished Partner.” Additionally, Germany has cautioned that it will not undertake any new financial commitments.

Germany’s Ambassador Peter Fischer also did not rule out Berlin’s reconsideration of military aid to Georgia. However, he categorically denied the circulating information that Germany is canceling student visas for Georgian citizens.

"Germany is reassessing its relations with Georgia," says the German Ambassador

Peter Fischer also do not rule out that Germany will review military assistance to Georgia

In the conclusions of the European Council meeting on June 27, it was stated that Georgia’s adoption of the “Foreign Agents” law represents a step backwards from the European Commission’s recommendations to grant Georgia candidate status for EU accession.

“The adoption of the ‘foreign agent’ law does not comply with European democratic standards and human rights norms. And this is not an isolated incident,” the resolution adopted by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) on Georgia stated concurrently.

Fischer noted that while Georgia’s accession process to the European Union is halted, swift progress in this direction is possible if Georgian authorities return to the path of democracy and European integration.

What’s important to know about Georgia’s ‘foreign agents’ law?

The “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” was initiated by the ruling party “Georgian Dream” and passed by Parliament in its third reading on May 28, 2024.
The Parliament adopted this law despite massive protests, persistent calls from Georgia’s Western partners, and the opinion of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.
After the passage of the law, the US announced the first package of sanctions against the “Georgian Dream” government. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of a “comprehensive review of US-Georgia cooperation.”
The European Union also took retaliatory measures. In early July, the EU halted €30 million in aid to Georgia and warned of additional measures to come. Senior EU officials have repeatedly indicated that this law distances Georgia from the EU.
On July 11, the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed the Megobari Act, which imposes sanctions on those involved in passing the “foreign agents” law.

The Georgian government’s main argument is that similar laws exist in the U.S. and several European countries, including France. According to Georgian Dream, every country has the right to protect itself from foreign influence and demand transparency from its organizations.

However, this comparison is inaccurate because:

The American law FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act), to which Georgian Dream refers, was enacted in the U.S. in 1938, before World War II, and aimed to protect the American public from Nazi propaganda. Neither then nor now did FARA apply to America’s allies and friendly countries.

In France, the law on “Foreign State Influence” includes a specific list of countries to which the law applies. This list comprises countries whose influence France considers a threat, including Russia, China, Turkey, and Iran. The French version also specifically states that this law does not apply to EU countries. The Georgian version lacks such provisions. Consequently, this law directly impacts organizations funded by the U.S. and the EU—friendly and partner countries that support democratic processes and numerous vital projects in Georgia, ranging from healthcare and infrastructure to strengthening civil society.

Furthermore, FARA stipulates that the law does not apply to media or NGOs, only to lobbying organizations. The Georgian version does not have this clarification.

Overall, the Georgian law is similar to the Russian law, which primarily affected media and the NGO sector. As a result, all non-governmental and media organizations not controlled by the Kremlin have been shut down in Russia. Hence, the Georgian law has been dubbed the “Russian law.”

It’s also important that this law contradicts EU legislation. When a similar law was adopted in Hungary, it was annulled by the European Court of Human Rights because it was directly aimed at silencing the media and oppressing NGOs.

The “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” in Georgia is set to come into effect by September 2024 when a special registry will be ready for “foreign agent organizations” to register. This applies to all organizations where over 20% of funding comes from foreign grants. In a small and not very wealthy country like Georgia, this includes the vast majority of non-governmental organizations.

Many Georgian NGOs and media refuse to register in the registry as they find the label of “organizations representing the interests of foreign states” offensive. “We work honestly in our country, so why should we be called ‘bearers of foreign state interests’?” they protest.

Some small organizations are already announcing their imminent closure. For instance, the NGO Fair Trees Foundation reported that its project to create a free children’s dental clinic would be suspended due to the law’s adoption.

Additionally, almost all animal protection organizations in Georgia rely on foreign grants, and thus the law’s adoption could lead to the closure of many of these organizations.