Georgia’s president vetoes controversial ‘foreign agents’ bill

President Salome Zourabichvili says the law is ‘Russian in its essence’, but parliament is expected to overturn veto.

Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili has vetoed the “foreign influence” bill that has sparked unprecedented protests in the country and warnings from Brussels that the measure would undermine Tbilisi’s European Union aspirations.

But Zourabichvili’s veto on Saturday is likely to only delay the proposed legislation, not block it. The parliament can override the veto with an additional vote.

“Today I set a veto … on the law, which is Russian in its essence and which contradicts our constitution,” Zourabichvili said in a televised statement.

Critics have said the bill resembles Russian legislation used to silence dissent. The draft law requires non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and media outlets with more than 20 percent of their funding coming from outside Georgia to register as bodies “pursuing the interests of a foreign power”.

If they refuse to do so and to disclose sensitive information about foreign funding, they will meet a fine of 25,000 lari ($9,360), followed by additional fines of 20,000 lari ($7,490) for each month of non-compliance thereafter.