Georgia's foreign agent law to take effect in coming days - parliament speaker

TBILISI. May 29 (Interfax) - The bill On the Transparency of Foreign Influence, adopted by the Georgian parliament on May 28, has been forwarded to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said, adding that he will sign the bill into law himself if Zourabichvili does not do so.

"Most likely, the president will decline to sign it, so I will sign it into law in a few days, consistent with the constitution," Papuashvili told reporters on Wednesday.

The law will take effect after being published by the National Agency of Public Registry, he said.

Papuashvili called international actors' reaction to the foreign agent bill's adoption wrong.

"International actors' reaction to the adoption of this bill was wrong and encouraged the emotions of our opposition, rather than a rational discussion. Statements by foreign actors also obstructed the democratic process in Georgia and encouraged radicals to storm the parliament building," Papuashvili said.

Foreign politicians criticizing the law never noted the need for the transparency of non-governmental organizations funded from abroad. "The funds received by non-governmental organizations are frequently transferred to the budgets of opposition parties and support radical groups," he said,

The statements made by foreign politicians in recent days were provocative, Papuashvili said. "Our foreign critics were not sincere and in some cases showed an arrogant attitude towards the Georgian people, alleging a flaw in the Georgian people and saying that a challenge for some cannot be a challenge for us," Papuashvili said.

He ruled out Western sanctions against Georgia. "I cannot imagine that," Papuashvili said.

The Georgian parliament overrode Zourabichvili's veto on the foreign agent law on May 28.