Israeli companies were invited to implement investment projects in the economic zones of Azerbaijan, including industrial parks located in the liberated territories.
Day: May 20, 2024
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Asian Stocks – 20-05-24
Karasin about Salome Zourabichvili
In response to Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili’s veto of the parliament-passed “foreign agents” bill, Grigory Karasin, the head of the Russian Federation Council Committee on International Relations, stated that Zourabichvili is actively trying to destabilize her own country.
“The peculiar woman Zourabichvili seems to be actively seeking instability in her own country. She shows some strange persistence in rejecting the law on foreign agents adopted by an overwhelming majority in parliament. One wonders whose interests Madame President is defending. The scenario is quite clear, but it’s important not to lose a sense of proportion in politics!” Karasin wrote in his Telegram channel on May 18.
On May 19, he reacted again to Zourabichvili’s veto with the following post:
“President Zourabichvili continues to surprise. Her invitation to President Macron to celebrate Georgia’s Independence Day in Georgia on May 26 is entirely consistent with international practice. But then, Madame President, why loudly announce that the visit aims to ‘rid the Caucasus of Soviet yoke and Russian influence’? This obsessive adherence to Saakashvili’s standards! And that already looks like a diagnosis.“
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The “foreign agents bill” (Transparency of Foreign Influence Law) was adopted by the Georgian Parliament on May 14 in its third reading. The bill was supported by 84 deputies, while 30 voted against it.
President Salome Zourabichvili immediately stated that she would veto the law, which she did on May 18, also announcing that her reasoned remarks had already been sent back to the parliament.
However, the ruling party “Georgian Dream” has enough deputies in parliament to override this veto.
Read more about the presidential veto here.
Scholz and Macron on “foreign agents” bill
President of France Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz have issued a joint statement criticizing the recent adoption of the “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” (commonly referred to as the “foreign agents bill”) in Georgia, as well as the overall path chosen by the ruling party, Georgian Dream.
“We, Germany and France, are deeply concerned about the situation in Georgia.
Both of our countries have been staunch supporters of Georgia’s European path and actively supported the decision of the European Council to grant candidacy status in December 2023.
It is with deep regret that we take note of the decision of the Georgian government and ruling party to deviate from this path by acting against our common European values and the aspirations of the Georgian people, such as through the adoption of the so-called law “on transparency of foreign influence”.
Georgia’s European path has been chartered – but speed and direction of moving forward depend on Georgia”.
On May 19, president of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili vetoed the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence. According to the president, her reasoned remarks regarding this law have already been submitted to the parliament.
On May 19, it was announced that Joe Wilson, a member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, plans to introduce a “counter” bill, according to which sanctions will be imposed on individuals responsible for the adoption of the “foreign agents bill” in Georgia.
Sanctions may also be imposed on individuals responsible for corruption in the elite, evasion of sanctions imposed against Russia, and so on.
According to the bill, trade, cultural, and military cooperation with Georgia will be strengthened only after the country changes its pro-Russian course.
Today, May 20th, a bill will be introduced in the US Congress, proposing asset freezes and visa bans for Georgian government representatives who supported the “foreign agents” bill.
