**Georgia‘s Government Makes Changes to Grant Laws, Expanding Control Over Civil Society**
The Georgian government is making changes to the law governing grants in order to tighten its control over foreign-funded organizations. The new amendments aim to exempt certain European educational grants from needing prior approval from the government.
This move follows earlier changes that required donors to seek permission before distributing grants. These changes are part of a broader effort by the ruling Georgian Dream party to limit the influence of civil society and media organizations in Georgia.
**What’s Changing?**
Under the proposed amendments, technical assistance and knowledge-sharing will be included in the definition of grants. This means that foreign-funded projects providing expertise or support to local organizations will need official consent from the government.
However, some European educational grants will be exempted from this requirement. These include programs such as Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and Creative Europe.
**Why Are These Changes Important?**
The Georgian Dream party’s efforts to tighten control over civil society and media organizations have been widely criticized by human rights groups and opposition parties. The changes to grant laws are seen as another step in this direction, limiting the ability of foreign-funded organizations to operate freely in Georgia.
According to Tornike Cheishvili, first deputy chair of the Legal Issues Committee, the move aims to improve the efficiency and flexibility of the approval process. However, critics argue that this is a thinly veiled attempt to restrict civil society’s ability to operate independently.
**Background**
Georgia has been criticized for its treatment of civil society and media organizations in recent years. The country has two foreign agents laws, which have been used to target and silence independent voices. The changes to the grant law are seen as another tool in this arsenal, further restricting the freedom of action for civil society organizations.
In a broader context, these changes reflect a growing trend of authoritarianism in Georgia, where the government is increasingly using legislation to limit dissenting voices and maintain control over public discourse.
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