Georgian Dream Chair Defends 'Foreign Agents' Law Against Criticism
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the chairman of the Georgian Dream faction, addressed journalists after a meeting at the party's office, asserting that external efforts to undermine Georgia's new "Transparency of Foreign Influence" law will not succeed. Mdinaradze emphasized that the government will not accept criticism regarding this legislation, which mirrors similar laws in Canada, France, and the United States.
"The forgery of the century financed from outside will not work as they want it to. We cannot and will not receive criticism from anyone for this," Mdinaradze stated. He accused the opposition of labeling all independent government decisions as "Russian" in an attempt to discredit both the government and its supporters.
Mdinaradze defended the "Transparency of Foreign Influence" law, arguing that it is no different from legislation in Western countries. "What was adopted by Canada and France, and what has been working in the USA for decades, cannot be Russian in Georgia," he said.
Georgian Dream Chairman expressed optimism about Georgia's future in the European Union. "We should expect that in 2030 Georgia will become a member of the European Union," he stated. He downplayed recent critical statements from EU representatives, urging a continued dignified path towards European integration in line with European values and Georgia's constitution.
Mdinaradze criticized the lack of international protest against similar laws in other countries, highlighting what he perceives as a double standard.
"Do any of you remember rallies in Canada or slogans 'No to the Russian law' and 'Canada can't become Russia's backyard?' Or why did you not cover the rallies in France? Because it did not happen. No one thought of baptizing a much stricter law in the similar field as Russian. Only in Georgia did it become 'Russian'," he argued.
He concluded by reiterating that the Georgian government will not be shamed into reversing its independent decisions.
"What Canada and France have adopted, what has been working for decades in the United States of America, cannot be Russian in Georgia, and the forgery of the century financed from outside will not work as they want it to work. We cannot and will not receive criticism from anyone for this," Mdinaradze asserted.
