Read entirely at link and keep in mind Canada is considering this type of legislation and no one is paying attention
The Government of Canada has introduced legislation to create a registry of foreign agents that would be less independent and potentially less transparent than the current federal lobbyists’ registry.
Perhaps because it’s largely a meaningless move?
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In an interview with Anadolu, Yildiz Deveci Bozkus, a professor at Ankara University who has expertise in Armenia and Caucasus issues, assessed the ongoing rallies and discussions over a controversial ‘foreign agents’ bill in Georgia, as well as its repercussions.
Q: Why did the people revolt in Georgia?
Bozkus: The adoption of the bill known as the bill “On the Transparency of Foreign Influence” in Georgia with a large approval rate caused mobilization in the streets of Tbilisi. If the bill in question comes into force, organizations established in Georgia and that receive more than 20% of their funds from abroad will have to be registered as “agents of foreign influence” or “organizations that pursue the interests of a foreign power.” If the bill comes into force, the registration process of such organizations will be controlled by Georgia’s Justice Ministry.
All organizations established in Georgia that receive more than 20% of their funds from abroad have to register as “agents of foreign influence” or “organizations that pursue the interests of a foreign power.” I would think Georgians would be pleased that influence peddlers would be known as such?
Q: What does the “foreign agents” bill mean for the sides?
Bozkus: The fact that the bill, which was discussed before but was withdrawn due to public and opposition protests, is now back on the agenda has caused some disagreements in society. A group in Georgia says that this law alienates the country from the EU and deals a blow to freedom of thought. On the other hand, these developments also bring to mind the question of whether Georgia will be the new Ukraine, because it is known that the recent developments in the South Caucasus are directly related to global developments. In this regard, it should be noted that the victory in Karabakh as well as the Russia-Ukraine war affected the developments in Georgia.
Q: Is Georgia turning into a new arena of struggle between Russia and the Western world?
Bozkus: Fault lines have been on the move in the South Caucasus for some time. Regional and global developments play an important role in the mobilization of these fault lines. For this reason, although the international public raises questions about whether Georgia will become a new Ukraine, what is happening in the region can actually be considered as the historical competition of global powers in the South Caucasus. On the other hand, it should not be forgotten that the developments in the South Caucasus are linked to the new conjunctures regarding the Karabakh region and the Zangezur corridor. This reveals that the Caucasus region has strategic importance in every period of history.
When we look at all these developments as a whole, it can be seen that global powers are trying to turn this region into a new arena of struggle, both in terms of timing and the content of the “foreign agents” law. This is because Georgia, as in many periods of history, has very critical importance, both in strategic and geopolitical terms
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On the other hand, the voices rising from the Western world regarding the actions that went down in history as one of the largest protests in Tbilisi since the dissolution of the Soviet Union give signs that the process will be painful. Countries such as the United States and England, which are called historical great powers, as well as countries such as Germany, Italy and France, which are important members of the EU, have stated that the bill should be withdrawn.
This also shows that this bill clarifies the positions of the global ranks like a litmus test.
Related from the Duran– Georgia passes foreign agents law. Armenia protests