In early June, Georgia enacted the Transparency of Foreign Influence Act, requiring NGOs, media outlets, and individuals receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad to register as entities promoting foreign interests. Failure to comply could result in a fine of up to $9,500. Despite criticism, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze defended the legislation, citing the need for transparency similar to laws in Western nations.
However, the US and EU condemned the law, with the US Department of Defense announcing the indefinite postponement of the annual NATO military exercise, NOBLE PARTNER, in Georgia due to the government’s accusations against Western entities. Prime Minister Kobakhidze had made claims linking former US ambassadors to attempted revolutions and raising doubts about Georgian-American relations.
The US State Department warned that the law would fundamentally alter the US relationship with Georgia, which aspires to join the EU and NATO. Tensions rise as sanctions on Tbilisi are not ruled out.