The News in Brief
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament of Georgia Supports the 'Foreign Influence Agents' Bill at First Hearing
The Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Georgia supported the first hearing of the bills "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" and "On Registration of Foreign Agents" initiated by People's Power.
"Here there is no talk of referring to individuals as agents, and in no case talk with something stigmatizing and in a negative context. No specific person is referred to, as if the specific person were an agent. This does not happen. Regarding the terminology, other issues, we will have a discussion on these issues within the second hearing and only on the principle that it is important for us to ensure transparency, that awareness is an important component in a democratic society, with these principles we propose to support both bills.
Also, both draft laws should be sent to the Venice Commission and in accordance with the recommendations issued by the Venice Commission, which should be consistent with the Constitution of Georgia, we should discuss further issues. Both projects were unanimously supported by those present at the committee," said MP Anri Okhanashvili.
Simultaneously with the consideration of the draft laws, the protest took place outside the parliament where the opposition MPs along with civilians protested the 'Foreign Influence Agents' law. Before the start of the hearing, a physical fight broke out in the meeting hall, later the opposition MPs were dismissed from the committee room by force.
2008 War in Georgia was a sign Putin is a tyrant, Vice-Chancellor of Germany Robert Habeck says
The Vice-Chancellor of Germany, Minister of Economy and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck at the opening ceremony of ITB Berlin said that Georgia wants to move towards Europe and that Europe is waiting for Georgia.
In his speech, the German Vice-Chancellor talked about the events of 2008 and said that Georgia also suffered from Russia which Ukraine is now facing.
"I remember when I traveled to Georgia, I will say more about it later, but you know what I remember, I think it was during the Covid period, I was in Georgia, I remembered the events of 2008. I know that Georgia also experienced what Ukraine is facing now from Russia. I was in your country four years ago. I thought it was a very distant past, but the same aggression has returned to the world. We must understand these events. "When we think about everything that Russia did in Georgia in 2008, it was probably a sign that showed that the Russian leader Putin has become a tyrant, and we all see that the current problems that are happening in Ukraine started in Georgia from the Russian side," stated Habeck.
Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament of Georgia Supports the 'Foreign Influence Agents' Bill at First Hearing
"Here there is no talk of referring to individuals as agents, and in no case talk with something stigmatizing and in a negative context. No specific person is referred to, as if the specific person were an agent. This does not happen. Regarding the terminology, other issues, we will have a discussion on these issues within the second hearing and only on the principle that it is important for us to ensure transparency, that awareness is an important component in a democratic society, with these principles we propose to support both bills.
Also, both draft laws should be sent to the Venice Commission and in accordance with the recommendations issued by the Venice Commission, which should be consistent with the Constitution of Georgia, we should discuss further issues. Both projects were unanimously supported by those present at the committee," said MP Anri Okhanashvili.
Simultaneously with the consideration of the draft laws, the protest took place outside the parliament where the opposition MPs along with civilians protested the 'Foreign Influence Agents' law. Before the start of the hearing, a physical fight broke out in the meeting hall, later the opposition MPs were dismissed from the committee room by force.
2008 War in Georgia was a sign Putin is a tyrant, Vice-Chancellor of Germany Robert Habeck says
In his speech, the German Vice-Chancellor talked about the events of 2008 and said that Georgia also suffered from Russia which Ukraine is now facing.
"I remember when I traveled to Georgia, I will say more about it later, but you know what I remember, I think it was during the Covid period, I was in Georgia, I remembered the events of 2008. I know that Georgia also experienced what Ukraine is facing now from Russia. I was in your country four years ago. I thought it was a very distant past, but the same aggression has returned to the world. We must understand these events. "When we think about everything that Russia did in Georgia in 2008, it was probably a sign that showed that the Russian leader Putin has become a tyrant, and we all see that the current problems that are happening in Ukraine started in Georgia from the Russian side," stated Habeck.