Georgia's NGOs fear impact of 'foreign influence law'

[Video transcript]

The law is expected to target first and foremost NGOs that engage in the political process. But some others, far away from politics, also fear the implications of the law.

Teimuraz Tsikoridze has dedicated 20 years of his life to taking care of and protecting abandoned animals. He now runs a non-profit animal village near the capital, Tbilisi. He says it is not a traditional dog shelter. It's their home, where there is no pressure for dogs to be placed with new owners. All of this was possible thanks to foreign donations, he says.

Teimuraz Tsikoridze, Chairman of Georgian Society for the Protection and Safety of Animals: "We have gotten financial support from abroad, which allowed us to buy this land and build a dog village. We managed to exist to this day thanks to that support. But now, what shall we do? Shall we now forget all that support?!"

Nino Dolidze, director of a key Georgian election watchdog, rejects the transparency argument. She believes the bill is a pretext to shut down independent civil society groups that are monitoring the government's actions. 

Nino Dolidze, Executive Director of International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED): "We are uploading all our expenditures on our websites, and we also have to do all the declarations. Donor organizations are officially uploading all their grants that they are giving to Georgian civil society."

More than 160 Georgian NGOs have pledged to defy the law when it comes into force in about two months. Nino says the election observer group she heads will not register on the foreign influence list. And it's ready to pay the fine of 8.000 euros for failing to comply with the law. 

Nino Dolidze, Executive Director of International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED): "The legislation itself is against our dignity. Georgian organizations represent only one country’s interest, which is Georgia. We cannot register in the register, which is making us spies or enemies of our country."

Teimuraz says the foreign influence law also affects his shelter, as his donations mostly come from abroad. Because the economic situation is unstable in Georgia, he fears that donations will decrease and put his animals' well-being at risk. 

Teimuraz Tsikoridze, Chairman of Georgian Society for the Protection and Safety of Animals: "Our government wants to register NGOs protecting animal rights like mine, as foreign agents. We'll have a negative perception and donor organizations from abroad will likely be reluctant to finance us anymore." 

The foreign influence law could also affect other NGOs, which tackle social, ecological, and educational problems in Georgia.

Georgia's civil society groups say that the upcoming October elections are the only way for them to avoid the possible fate of being shut down. They say they will continue their fight for a free and democratic Georgia as long as it takes.