More than 100 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have decided to appeal the law on foreign agents in the Constitutional Court of Georgia, representative of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information NGO Giorgi Davituri said at a briefing.
"As many as 121 non-governmental organizations are appealing to the Constitutional Court of Georgia with a lawsuit. We will petition the court to suspend the unconstitutional provisions of the law (on foreign agents - TASS)," he said.
On July 15, it became known that Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili would challenge the law on foreign agents in the Constitutional Court.
The Georgian legislature passed a bill On Transparency of Foreign Influence, also known as the foreign agent bill, in the third reading on May 14. President Salome Zourabichvili vetoed the law on May 18, but parliament overrode her veto on May 28.
Non-governmental organizations warned that they would not register if the law is passed because they object to the idea of branding themselves as organizations promoting the interests of a foreign entity. The ruling party however insists that they are being classified correctly since these organizations are financed from abroad. The only thing being asked of them is that they be financially transparent.
The law applies to non-government organizations and mass media outlets that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad. They will be obliged to submit their tax returns to the justice ministry each January. Otherwise, they will be fined 25,000 lari (over $9,100). If the income declaration is not filed after the fine is levied, they will have to pay 20,000 lari (over $7,300) for each extra day that they do not comply.
