**Georgian Dream Party Introduces “Foreign Agents Registration Act”**
The Georgian Dream (GD) party has introduced a new law to the parliament. The bill is called the “Foreign Agents Registration Act”. This name is taken from an American law with the same name.
According to GD, this law will make it clear who is working for foreign countries in Georgia. However, some people are worried that this law might be used to silence critics of the government.
**Similarities to American Law**
The draft law has been copied word-for-word from the US version. This means that it includes terms like “Congress“, “the President of the United States“, and others that do not apply in Georgia.
A GD parliament member said that changes will be needed to make this law work in Georgia’s reality. However, some people are still concerned about the implications of this law.
**Previous Attempt**
This is not the first time GD has introduced this law. In 2023, they withdrew it after public protests and opposition from other parties. Despite this, they reintroduced and passed it in spring 2024, despite more protests.
**Mixed Messages**
Interestingly, a top official of GD previously said that an American similar law was a “complete disaster”. However, now they claim that the Georgian version is different and will provide transparency.
The implications of this law are still unclear, but many people are concerned about its impact on civil society in Georgia.