Thank you.
Honourable members of the House of Commons, I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to speak before you today. It is an honour, privilege and great responsibility.
My name is Ketevan Chachava. I am a civic and democracy activist from Georgia with 18 years of experience in the non-profit sector. I am the executive director and founder of the Tbilisi-based NGO, the Center for Development and Democracy, as well as a steering committee member of the World Movement for Democracy and a non-resident fellow of CEPA.
I stand before you as a proud Georgian citizen, committed to the democratic, Euro-Atlantic future of my country. I am a representative of tens of thousands of Georgians, from the young to the elderly, from the so-called silent generation to generation alpha, who have taken to the streets in peaceful protest for the past month.
I address you today with a deep concern regarding recent developments in Georgia, specifically the reintroduction of a Russian-style draft law on transparency of foreign influence, also referred to as the “foreign agents” law.
Our struggle is not about opposing a single piece of legislation. It's about defending the very fundamentals of our democracy: freedom, rule of law and our chosen path of Euro-Atlantic integration, which is protected by the Georgian constitution.
The stated objective of the proposed legislation is to ensure transparency concerning foreign influence and funding by implementing a specialized database. While transparency is universally valued, this legislation mandates that NGOs and independent media receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad must register as organizations carrying out the interests of a foreign power. Such categorization and the stigmatization of the organizations is one of the biggest issues that we all face. It diminishes the dignity and respect of not only the organizations but also the individuals associated with them.
This legislation mirrors oppressive measures seen in Russia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, where similar laws have silenced dissent, violated international human rights standards and led to closures or forced exile. Such laws serve only to weaken democracy, as evidenced by the V-Dem report.
Georgia, as an EU candidate and NATO aspirant country, finds itself at a crossroads where upholding democratic principles is crucial. Different opinion polls consistently indicate that 75% to 80% of Georgians support European and Euro-Atlantic integration. However, the proposed law contradicts these principles, posing a significant threat of silencing the vibrant civil society and free media. These pillars are vital and integral to our aspirations for EU and NATO membership.
The progression of events has been alarmingly fast. Announced only on April 3, the law has already passed with two hearings. The stakes could not be higher as we anticipate the final readings of this law by the end of June.
We continue to protest under the banner “Yes to Europe! No to Russian law!” Our peaceful demonstrations are met with disproportionate force and targeted violence against opposition leaders and civic activists, further worsening the crisis and existing polarization, which is becoming deeply alarming.
Therefore, I call on you to stand with us in this critical moment, on the right side of history. We seek your assistance against the attacks on civil society and media freedom, which are signs of democracy backsliding. Your reaffirmation of support for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations is crucial. Let us send a clear message to the members of the government and the Parliament of Georgia that attacks on civil society and media freedom are unacceptable and are damaging our democratic progress. This is not the path towards advancing closer to the Euro-Atlantic family, which Georgia is striving to join.
Thank you for your strong support of Georgia's NATO membership. Your dedication to human rights and democracy worldwide is deeply appreciated.
Thank you for your attention. I am looking forward to hearing your insights and addressing any questions you may have.