Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze cancelled his visit to the United States due to conditions imposed on him by the American side, which demanded the temporary withdrawal of the abroad Agents Act – informed the Ministry of abroad Affairs on its website.
"Today a message was published by the U.S. embassy that high-ranking representatives of the Georgian government were invited to the US, which the Georgian side refused. Therefore, we would like to clarify that the Georgian Prime Minister was invited to the United States, with the exception that before the visit, the Georgian Parliament will be forced to temporarily halt discussions on the draft law "On transparency of abroad influences", the MFA said in a statement.
The Ministry stressed that a visit under certain conditions is incompatible with the spirit of partnership, which should be based on common respect and trust.
Foreign Agents Act in Georgia
On 7 March 2023, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the draft abroad Agents Act at first reading. Then the country's capital began with mass rallies that the police had to drive with teardrop gas and water cannons. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 133 people were detained during the demonstration. Later, the authorities withdrew this document.
On 3 April, the governing Georgian Dream organization reintroduced the controversial bill on transparency of abroad influences. She explained that alternatively of the word ‘agent of abroad influences’, the text now uses the word ‘organisation that pursues the interests of abroad forces’, while the remainder of the content remained the same.
The initiative provides for the registration of non-commercial legal entities and media, whose income, in peculiar over 20 percent, comes from abroad. In addition, all organisations pursuing ‘foreign forces’ interests must be registered in the State Register. Parliament of the republic adopted the bill at first reading by 83 votes on 17 April.
The protests were resumed in Tbilisi, demanding the withdrawal of the document. The opposition claims that it is equivalent to a Russian paper against agents. On the another hand, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Pieskov called specified statements absurd, recalling that the first country to come up with a strategy to fight abroad agents was the United States.
On 1 May, the Georgian parliament adopted the bill on abroad agents in its second reading. Therefore, regular raves are held in Tbilisi.
Daniel Głogowski
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Prime Minister of Georgia refuses to visit the United States due to Washington's demands
