“The supreme representation body of the country, which is elected by Georgian people and is solely accountable towards Georgian people acted rightfully in accordance with the will expressed by the Georgian people when creating the most important legal basis for solidifying the state sovereignty of Georgia,” stated the Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, during the press conference held at the government administration, Georgian Public Broadcaster reports.
“I wish to comment on the overcoming of the Presidential Veto by the Parliament of Georgia and eventual passing of the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence. The supreme representation body of the country, which is elected by Georgian people and is solely accountable towards Georgian people acted rightfully in accordance with the will expressed by the Georgian people when creating the most important legal basis for solidifying the state sovereignty of Georgia.
As noted at multiple occasions, transparency of foreign influence is supported by over 80% of the country’s population, while the actual Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence – against the criticism of foreigners – is supported by over 60% of the population.
Recent days have again evidenced that there are no arguments whatsoever against the law. Miserable performance of a representative of Salome Zourabichvili at the Parliament of Georgia today was a clear testament of this fact once again.
Let me remind you that a Law of Georgia on Transparency of Foreign Influence envisages only one requirement: entities carrying foreign influence in the country need to publish their annual financial reports once a year. No arguments are plausible against such law.
Citizens of Georgia are entitled to know who is funded by whom in this country, who is carrying positive or negative influences of a foreign power. In such conditions, the Georgian public will be better protected from any attempt of its sovereignty be abused.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has announced the preparation of a referendum on the European Union membership in the country.
She said this in her address to protesters after a parliamentary session at which the veto of the law on foreign agents was overridden, TASS reports.
Zourabichvili called on protesters opposed to the initiative to prepare for a referendum on the topic of the European future.
"We must prepare a real referendum. This energy that is in you today should be spent on collecting signatures and bringing them to me. I will sign the order for the referendum - do we want a European future or Russian slavery," the president said
According to Georgia's law "On Referendum", the referendum is held on the entire territory of the republic, the president is authorised to announce it if the government, parliament or at least 200,000 citizens demand it. The President's order to hold a referendum needs the Prime Minister's countersignature.
