Levan Berdzenishvili, Georgian opposition-minded politician, author and academic, on Thursday raised concerns about the implications of the proposed bill on the transparency of foreign influence on Georgia"s political landscape, cautioning that its adoption could disrupt the electoral process.

Berdzenishvili’s comments followed after the parliamentary majority on Wednesday decided to resubmit the bill on the Transparency of Foreign Influence to the legislative body. The bill provides for a single requirement that organisations receiving foreign funding publish their annual financial reports.

In his remarks with the opposition-leaning Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, Berdzenishvili suggested that the disclosure of foreign funding exceeding 20 percent could implicate a significant portion of the political establishment and the entire NGO sector, casting doubt on the integrity of the electoral process.

“If this bill is adopted, you consider that elections will no longer be held in Georgia, because those organisations, which are funded by 20 percent [from abroad], will include half of the political establishment, the entire NGO sector, and others. In short, no one should be able to participate in the elections and they should be alone”, Berdzenishvili said.