March 9 – BLiTZ. A dispute erupted in Georgia over the adoption of a law “on agents of foreign influence.” Expert Igor Levitas spoke about the events in Georgia in an EADaily article.
Georgian opposition and human rights activists believe that the government will be able to harass independent organizations, while supporters argue that the law is a mild version of the 1938 American FARA law. According to FARA, foreign agents must disclose their activities and funding. Violation of the law is monitored by a special unit in the Department of National Security of the Ministry of Justice, and this violation can be punished by up to 5 years in prison. There are currently about 1,700 registered foreign agents in the US from over 100 countries.
The author compares the laws on foreign agents in Russia and the United States and comes to the conclusion that their essence is the same: a ban on receiving funding from foreign principals when participating in political processes. He defends the legitimacy of the Russian law and points out that it is necessary to protect national interests, and also criticizes US outrage over this law, arguing that US law also contains similar measures and restrictions.
“As for American indignation over Russian issues, no matter how you remember the Russian proverb “Don’t blame the mirror if your face is crooked.”,” the expert sums up.
