State Department Spokesperson, Ned Price about draft legislation
Ned Price, State Department Spokesperson:
"We are aware of the draft legislation in Georgian parliament and are deeply concerned about its implications for freedom of speech and democracy in Georgia. We have expressed these concerns [directly] to [our interlocutors in] the Government of Georgia.
The proposed law would stigmatize and silence independent voices of citizens of Georgia who are dedicated to building a better future for their communities. We believe such a law could potentially undermine Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
Statements that this legislation is based on the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the United States are patently false. In fact, this draft legislation appears to be based on similar Russian and Hungarian legislation [not on FARA or any other American legislation]."
