Georgia to launch registry for foreign agents
- 30 July, 10:26
Georgia’s Ministry of Justice has enacted a bylaw to establish a department tasked with registering and overseeing organizations designated as foreign agents in anticipation of the upcoming implementation of a new law.
The Justice Ministry announced the bylaw on Monday, specifying that the new Financial Reporting Department has been integrated into the National Agency of Public Registry. This department will be in charge of registering organizations identified as 'acting in the interests of a foreign power' and monitoring their tax filings.
Additionally, the bylaw outlines that the agency will provide support to ministry employees overseeing these organizations.
According to Georgia’s foreign agent law, any civil society or media organization receiving at least 20% of its funding from abroad will be classified as 'organizations acting in the interests of a foreign power.' These organizations will be subject to biannual monitoring, which lawyers have cautioned may involve demands for internal communications and confidential sources. Non-compliant organizations will face substantial fines.
Justice Minister Rati Bregadze informed journalists on Tuesday that organizations meeting the foreign agent law criteria can already register as 'organizations acting in the interests of a foreign power.'
"If an organization does not comply with the law’s requirements, it is violating Georgian legislation. The law stipulates a fine of ₾25,000 ($9,200)," he stated.
The law is set to take effect in August, and organizations falling within its scope must register as foreign agents within 30 days of its implementation.
