A prominent Georgian businessman urged the government not to override the veto on the 'foreign agents' law
Veto on the “foreign agents” law
On May 27, one of the staunchest supporters of the Georgian government, businessman Soso Pkhakadze, urged the ruling party not to override the president’s veto on the “foreign agents” law—or to postpone the law’s implementation until January 1, 2025.
Soso Pkhakadze is one of the businessmen who, on April 29, issued a joint statement in support of this law, which is referred to as the “Russian law” by the Georgian public. At that time, he and other prominent businessmen called on the authorities to ensure the so-called “transparency” of NGOs and media operations.
Pkhakadze is the founder of the Wissol gas station network and, since 2000, has chaired the board of directors of Wissol Group, which includes companies such as Wissol, Smart, Wendy’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Vianor, and others.
Statement by Soso Pkhakadze
“As a citizen and businessman of Georgia, I feel compelled to once again respond to the events unfolding in our country. Just as in my previous statement, I firmly and unequivocally declare my unwavering support for the country’s commitment to the European and Euro-Atlantic course, which I believe to be the only viable path.
Since a specific compromise solution has not been found, I believe it would be wise to choose one of the two following options.
First option: Tomorrow, the government should postpone the procedure to override the veto. Let’s take some time and use it for further consultations with our strategic partners to avoid harming the foreign policy course guaranteed by the country’s constitution.
The second option: Using existing legal tools and amending the law, set the law’s implementation date for early 2025, say January 1. In this case, the results of the parliamentary elections will determine how acceptable this law is to our population.
Here, I would like to emphasize that both of the above options are based on an analysis of the current situation and the information I have as a businessman.
I hope my sincere opinion will be considered by the relevant authorities, which will help return our country to its normal path of development,” Pkhakadze wrote on LinkedIn.
