Georgian Parliament official: some oppose analogy to US FARA law in Georgia, while US legislators push for tougher rules

David Matikashvili, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules, on Saturday expressed intrigue over a United States Senate bill to strengthen the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), suggesting it could inspire refinements to Georgia’s analogous legislation.

Matikashvili’s comments addressed the US Senate bill (S.3050) aimed at amending the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938, co-sponsored by Senator Jim Risch.

Criticising what he called hypocritical opposition from the United States and European Union figures, Matikashvili argued that laws beneficial to American democracy should also be acceptable for Georgia.

“It’s a complete theatre of the absurd! What is good for the US is good for Georgia. What is good for democracy in general is beneficial for Georgian democracy. Yet, we see specific Congressman [Senator Jim Risch], the EU Ambassador [Paweł Herczyński], and other interested parties criticising the analogy of the American law adopted in Georgia, while the very same people, for example, representatives of the US legislative body are calling for the tightening of the law in force there”, he said.

The official emphasised that Georgia was keen to observe the specific changes proposed in the United States Senate bill, as these could inform potential updates to Georgia’s own legislation to strengthen democratic governance.

“It is interesting for us to learn in what way the tightening will occur in the US, as naturally, it will also be interesting to refine Georgian legislation in this regard”, he concluded.