PACE President Seeks Venice Commission's Opinion on Georgia's Draft Law on 'Transparency of Foreign Influence'

Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has formally requested an urgent opinion from the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) regarding the Georgian draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence. This draft law is currently under discussion in the Georgian Parliament.

Earlier this month, on April 4, PACE monitoring co-rapporteurs for Georgia, Claude Kern (France, ALDE) and Edite Estrela (Portugal, SOC), expressed significant concern over the reintroduction of the draft law. They emphasized that their previous apprehensions remain unchanged, stating, "The reintroduction of this draft law, whose withdrawal last year we warmly welcomed, is of deep concern. What we said the first time this law was introduced remains valid for this proposal: there are serious questions about the draft law's compatibility with European democratic and human rights standards and norms. We therefore urge the authorities to withdraw this draft from the parliamentary agenda.”

Following its meeting today, the PACE Monitoring Committee also expressed concerns about the potential human rights implications of the draft law. Consequently, they have requested Venice Commission opinions on the draft constitutional laws regarding the Protection of Family Values and Minors, as well as on the recent amendments to the Electoral Code of Georgia that abolish gender quotas.

The Venice Commission's opinion will play a crucial role in assessing the compliance of these legislative measures with the standards of the Council of Europe, ensuring that democratic principles and human rights are upheld in Georgia.