Georgian Constitutional Court processing applications for suspending, repealing foreign-agent law

TBILISI. Aug 29 (Interfax) - The Georgian Constitutional Court started processing applications from Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, opposition members of the parliament, and non-governmental organizations for suspending and repealing the law on transparency of foreign influence on Thursday.

The Georgian parliament passed the bill on transparency of foreign influence, which envisages registration and transparency of financial statements of non-governmental organizations and media outlets funded from abroad at over 80% as entities representing interests of a foreign force, in May.

The registration of such organizations with the Georgian Finance Ministry's register was due to begin on August 1, but that did not happen. Non-governmental organizations are awaiting the Constitutional Court's ruling.

The law caused an extremely negative reaction of the United States and the European Union, which imposed sanctions on the Georgian government, including suspension of financial assistance to the Georgian military and in some other areas.

The applications filed with the Constitutional Court say, in particular, that the adoption of the law on transparency of foreign influence contravenes and violates the principles of the Georgian constitution and hinders Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration.

The president, opposition deputies, and non-governmental organizations asked the Constitutional Court to suspend the law until the final ruling, which might take time to pronounce.