Georgian PM says specific organisations acting against transparency in country as they have “a lot to hide”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday reiterated his strong support for the country's law on transparency, asserting that its opponents were motivated by a desire to conceal information related to extremism, revolutionary activities, and attacks on state institutions and the Church.

In response to a journalist's question about the opposition to transparency in Georgia, the Prime Minister stated that the law was based on a fundamental European principle.

“Specific organisations have a lot to hide. It is obvious that extremism, revolutionary processes, various kinds of vicious propaganda, attacks on the Church, attacks on state institutions are funded in Georgia from external sources. Of course, this is hidden, and that is why they do not want one of the most important principles of democracy - transparency - to be realized in Georgia”, the PM said.

“At one time, we adopted the law on transparency [of foreign influence], which was based on one of the most important traditional, classical, European principles - transparency. They came out against this principle because they do not want information about extremism, revolutions, attacks on the church, attacks on state institutions, and propaganda to become transparent in Georgia. All this is as clear as day”, he concluded.