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Georgia: law against foreign actors

Posted by Europe correspondent on

Brussels 06.03.2026 “The adoption of the legislative package on foreign funding and political activity by the Georgian Parliament on 4 March is part of a systematic effort of the Georgian authorities to restrict the country’s democratic and civic space” reads the statement by High Representative/Vice President Kallas and Commissioner for Enlargement Kos on Georgia’s legislative amendments on foreign funding and political activity.

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“The new legislation establishes an extensive system of state control over political activity in the country. It introduces potential criminal liability for individuals or entities receiving support from foreign sources. Its vague provisions create profound legal uncertainty and major risks of arbitrary and selective enforcement.

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“By adopting this legislative package, the Georgian authorities further disregard their international human rights obligations, their commitments taken in the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and move further away from the objective of EU membership enshrined in the Constitution of Georgia. This in addition to the actions already taken by Georgian authorities, leading to the unjust detention of politicians, journalists and activists that must be released immediately.

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“Georgian authorities’ actions have consequences. Today, for instance, in response to Georgia’s deliberate and persisting violation of the commitments in key areas of democracy and fundamental rights under its visa-free regime, the Commission is suspending visa-free travel for Georgian holders of diplomatic, service or official passports under the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism.

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“In this context, it is important to recall the depth and substance of the cooperation that has developed between the European Union and Georgia over the years. The EU and its Member States have consistently shown their commitment to Georgia’s prosperity and stability, offering reliable support during critical moments, including through its monitoring mission EUMM since 2008.

“The EU stood by Georgia and its population side during times of economic crisis, providing financial support. Following Russian restrictions affecting Georgian exports, the EU expanded trade opportunities for Georgian producers. Unlike Georgian holders of diplomatic, service or official passports, citizens of Georgia can travel to the EU visa-free. Young people from Georgia are welcomed in the EU through hundreds of scholarships. The EU’s support for Georgia’s security, territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders is unwavering. We opened the door for Georgia to join the EU family by granting it candidate status in 2023. The EU will continue to reaffirm its readiness to support the Georgian people on their European path.

“The Georgian authorities put this longstanding partnership at very serious risk and are regrettably moving Georgia further away from the EU path, a goal enjoying the support of the vast majority of Georgian people. At this point in time, we note with deep regret that Georgia is a candidate country in name only”.

The Georgian Parliament has adopted amendments in their third and final reading criminalizing the receipt of foreign grants without government approval and introducing new restrictions on political activity, according to the BBC Russian Service.

The amendments are part of a series of laws the Georgian Parliament has been adopting since 2024, affecting civil society and media activities. The amendments to the “Law on Grants” expand the definition of foreign funding and introduce penalties for receiving it without government approval. Such violations are punishable by a fine, community service, or imprisonment for up to six years.

According to the new regulations, any funds received from abroad by both individuals and legal entities can be considered a grant if they are used to influence government bodies or a segment of society to change or shape public policy.

A ban on issuing foreign grants without government approval was introduced in Georgia last spring. Now, following the adoption of new amendments, organizations registered abroad must also obtain prior government approval if they transfer funds to their branches or representative offices in Georgia.

The amendments also introduce restrictions on political participation. Individuals who worked for organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad are prohibited from joining political parties for eight years. Starting in the fall of 2024, such organizations are required to register as “conduits of foreign interests,” although many non-profit organizations and media outlets have publicly refused to do so.

The new restrictions also apply to entrepreneurs: commercial organizations are prohibited from participating in public politics. Furthermore, an article on “Extremism against the constitutional order of Georgia” is being added to the Criminal Code of Georgia.

The ruling Georgian Dream party claims the changes are aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty and preventing the financing of unrest and radicalism from abroad.

The Georgian law is largely in the line of the U.S. The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) (22 U.S.C. § 611 et seq.) is a United States law that imposes public disclosure obligations on persons representing foreign interests.It requires “foreign agents”—defined as individuals or entities engaged in domestic lobbying or advocacy for foreign governments, organizations, or persons (“foreign principals”)—to register with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and disclose their relationship, activities, and related financial compensation.

FARA does not prohibit lobbying for foreign interests, nor does it ban or restrict any specific activities.Its explicit purpose is to promote transparency with respect to foreign influence over American public opinion, policy, and laws; to that end, the DOJ is required to make information concerning foreign agents’ registrations and their disclosed activities on behalf of foreign principals publicly available. FARA was enacted in 1938 primarily to counter Nazi propaganda, with an initial focus on criminal prosecution of subversive activities; since 1966, enforcement has shifted mostly to civil penalties and voluntary compliance.

For most of its existence, FARA was relatively obscure and rarely invoked; since 2017, the law has been enforced with far greater regularity and intensity, particularly against officials connected to the Trump administration.Subsequent high-profile indictments and convictions under FARA have prompted greater public, political, and legal scrutiny, including calls for reform.

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