The Georgian law on the registration of foreign agents, which came into effect today, marks a serious democratic backslide, according to a joint statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.
The statement emphasized that this law—alongside recently adopted legislation on broadcasting and grant funding—constitutes yet another “aggressive move” by Georgian authorities aimed at “silencing dissent, restricting freedoms, and further shrinking the space for activists, civil society, and independent media.”
“These repressive measures threaten the very survival of Georgia’s democratic foundations and the future of its citizens in a free and open society,” Kallas and Kos warned.
They recalled that the European Council, in its conclusions from June and October 2024, determined that such actions jeopardize Georgia’s path to EU membership, effectively stalling the country’s accession process.
The EU once again urged Georgian authorities to “heed the clear demands of their citizens for democracy and a European future” and to release all unjustly detained journalists, activists, protesters, and political leaders.
“The EU stands ready to reconsider Georgia’s return to the EU accession path if authorities take credible steps to reverse the democratic decline,” the statement said, stressing that the responsibility lies entirely with Georgia’s leadership.
Georgia’s parliament recently passed the “foreign agents” law, which was modeled directly after the U.S. FARA legislation, replacing the widely criticized “foreign influence” bill that sparked mass protests throughout 2024.
While the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) mandates that anyone representing foreign states, parties, or organizations register with the authorities, Georgian NGOs argue the new law will be used to further tighten control over civil society and political opposition.
The current government, led by the Georgian Dream party, has been accused of steering the former Soviet republic away from its European trajectory and closer to Moscow. Amid ongoing political turmoil, Georgia has been gripped by daily protests since late 2024. The unrest intensified after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced in November that his government would not seek to open EU accession talks before 2028.
