Olaf Scholz on the law on foreign agents in Georgia
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during a joint briefing with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, expressed hope that Georgia would not adopt the “foreign agents” law.
“We, like the entire European Union, view the so-called ‘foreign agents’ law critically, and after the consideration of the corresponding bill in Georgia was suspended in March 2023, we had high hopes that it would no longer be on the agenda.
The new draft law is almost the same as last year’s, and we very much hope that Georgia will not adopt this law and that the parliament will take into account our critical position and the position of the country’s population,” said Scholz.
The Chancellor emphasized that despite assurances from the Georgian government that many countries have adopted similar laws, there is nothing similar in the European Union
“There is no such legislation in the European Union. Although there is a discussion about establishing transparency in various areas, it’s an entirely different concept. It has not yet been passed, and it’s unlikely to be passed.“
In turn, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated at the briefing that the sole purpose of this law is financial transparency:
“We are ready to discuss it with our European, American, or local Georgian partners. Though our positions are very firm. The only purpose of this law is for non-governmental organizations to provide annual public financial reports. No one can say that financial disclosure can negatively affect the activities of any organization.
We are open to discussion. I am deeply convinced of the importance of such a discussion, which did not happen last year. I am confident that the positions of the authorities in Georgia are very strong. We are convinced that there is no alternative to transparency in a democratic society.“
At the joint press conference with Irakli Kobakhidze, Olaf Scholz also spoke about Russia’s imperialistic ambitions:
“We know that Russia continues to harbor its imperialistic plans, and this extends beyond aggression towards Ukraine. We must not forget that Georgia itself fell victim to Russian aggression in 2008. Some parts of Georgia remain under Russian occupation. We cannot and will not tolerate this. Germany continues to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within internationally recognized borders.“
The chancellor also mentioned the importance of parliamentary elections scheduled to take place in Georgia in October 2024 and emphasized that free and fair elections “will be the foundation” for the country’s path towards Euro-integration.
On April 11th, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze embarked on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany.
During the visit, the Georgian Prime Minister will meet with the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the President of the Bundestag, Berbel Basse.
The Georgian delegation, led by the Prime Minister, also includes the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Chief of the Government Administration.
