The bill, which was approved by Parliament last month, requires media, nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofit groups to register as 'pursuing the interests of a foreign power' if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
The government argues that the law is needed to stem what it deems to be harmful foreign actors trying to destabilize the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million, but many Georgian journalists and activists say that the bill's true goal is to stigmatize them and restrict debate ahead of parliamentary elections.
Opponents have denounced the legislation as 'the Russian law' because it resembles measures pushed through by the Kremlin to crack down on independent news media, nonprofits and activists. Critics say the measure may have been driven by Moscow to thwart Georgia's chances of further integrating with the West.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday again dismissed the criticism as 'unnecessary emotions that had only an artificial basis.' 'Now the law has already come into force and we all have to act pragmatically, with a cool mind and put aside unnecessary emotions,' he said.
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