Georgian PM says NGO funding should not be used as tool for political interference

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said the adoption of a bill mirroring the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act had no alternative as non-governmental organisations and their funding should not be used as a mechanism for political interference in the country.

“The current United States Government has acknowledged that specific mechanisms, including the United States Agency for International Development, National Endowment for Democracy and other mechanisms, were used to destabilise the situation in various countries, including Georgia. In such conditions, especially, there is no alternative to the transparency of non-governmental organisations”, the Prime Minister said.

“Non-governmental organisations and their funding cannot be used as a mechanism for political interference in the country. Accordingly, naturally, there is no alternative to the adoption of this law”, he concluded.