The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament responds to the comments of the EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński on the draft law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” by saying that “hidden spending of money in foreign countries does not suit European values”.

“What does not suit European values is the hidden spending of money in another country. Unfortunately, this is done by some European and American foundations in Georgia.

I had spent a year trying to convince international donors and diplomats that it was important that when money was spent from their budgets in Georgia, this money should be transparent to the Georgian citizens.

Unfortunately, I could not convince them, this funding is hidden and it turns out that this money goes to [political] parties’ moneybox, to radical groups. So, the questions should not be addressed to Georgia and its citizens, but on the contrary, the Georgian people have questions regarding European and US foundations, why they hide this funding… They know that this funding is hidden. There is an old Roman motto: what is permissible for Jupiter is not permissible for a bull. I have the impression that some people consider themselves to be Jupiter, and the Georgian people a bull…

This is the non-European approach, when some European and American foundations behave in Georgia using the methods of special services and fund parties and radical groups underground. The legislator is obliged to make this transparent for the Georgian people. They had one year to make public what they spend money on in Georgia. They did not do it themselves, therefore the Georgian people have the right to regulate this issue by legislation and to receive information on what these funds are spent on”, - said Shalva Papuashvili.