On April 24, Archbishop Zenon Iarajuli of Dmanisi and Agarak-Tashiri issued a statement on the reintroduced Foreign Agents Bill, emphasizing that if the bill is passed, the non-commercial organizations of the Georgian Church will also be considered foreign agents, and adding that the bill threatens to stigmatize individuals and organizations, which is not only a violation of the Constitution but also of Christian values.
The statement notes that the Foreign Agents draft-aw applies to all non-governmental sectors, including non-commercial legal entities established by the Georgian Orthodox Church, which does not constitute an administrative body under the General Administrative Code of Georgia.
The Archbishop stresses that a Georgian Church cannot be called an “organization that carries out the interests of a foreign power”, because: “It is emphasized in the constitutional agreement that the Church, as a legal entity under public law, must protect its legal obligations to the state and its population. It is not allowed that the church itself creates a condition against the security of society and the state. The Church cannot by itself create a legal entity that poses a danger to the state, especially since it is recognized by the state as the creator of the national world view and values.”
The statement emphasizes that the law, if passed, will violate the Constitution of Georgia and “poses a threat of institutional stigmatization of the Church. Just as the state cannot be the founder of an organization “carrying the interests of a foreign power”, the Church cannot be the founder of an organization “carrying the interests of a foreign power”.
The Archbishop of Georgia questions the necessity of the proposed law, arguing that there are already existing institutions that monitor the financial activities of organizations. He emphasizes the threat posed by Russia, which occupies 20% of Georgian territory, and suggests that the preamble of the law should explicitly address this threat and the countries that recognize the self-proclaimed states in the occupied territories of Georgia. He insists that Georgian laws must distinguish between countries that support Georgian sovereignty and those that recognize the occupied territories as independent.
“The prolonged strongly negative reaction of the society, the unambiguously negative assessment of the relevant institutions of the European Union should be a sufficient argument for the state legislative body to answer the question: what benefits does ignoring the European calls for unity bring to Georgia’s statehood and security?” – reads the statement.
In addition, Archbishop Zenon condemns the proposed legislation’s potential for social stigmatization and argues that it’s unacceptable, especially at the state legislative level. He explains how stigma leads to social rejection and discrimination of individuals and organizations, which can have serious socio-psychological consequences, even life-threatening. It emphasizes that stigmatization is incompatible with a developed society and contrary to Christian teachings and universal human values, and concludes by stating that the law should uphold freedom and civilized principles, in accordance with the understanding of freedom outlined in the Constitution.
“The content of the draft law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” and the proposed wording of the registration create the danger of stigmatizing citizens, non-governmental organizations, and institutions (including the Church),” – concludes the statement.
On April 3, the parliamentary majority leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mamuka Mdinaradze, announced the reintroduction of the draft law on foreign agents, which was dropped last year after the massive rallies on March 7-9. According to Mdinaradze, the content of the bill remains the same, the only change is in the title: the word “agent” in it has been removed and the title has been replaced with “Organization Pursuing the Interests of a Foreign Power”. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the civil society and opposition within the country and from Georgia’s international partners. The bill has already been passed in the first hearing.
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