Prepared by Messenger Staff
Council of Europe Experts Urge Georgia to Withdraw 'Foreign Agents' Law
The Council of Europe's Expert Council has issued a strongly critical opinion on Georgia's recently adopted Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), warning that the law poses a serious threat to civil society and fundamental freedoms.
In its opinion, the Expert Council concluded that the law "will have a significant impact on the freedom of assembly and several other guaranteed rights." It said it would be "advisable to withdraw the Act and refrain from taking any steps toward its implementation."
The document stressed that many provisions of the law do not meet legal standards required for restricting rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. It added that "serious doubts" remain as to whether parts of the Act serve a legitimate purpose.
The opinion highlighted a series of provisions, including restrictions on non-governmental organizations seeking foreign funding, obligations to disclose personal data, broad powers for authorities to request additional information, burdensome record-keeping rules, and what it called "excessive" fines for violations.
"Considering the inevitable effects of the Act's provisions, which hinder non-governmental organizations from seeking foreign support to achieve goals fully consistent with European standards. the measures included in the Act cannot be deemed necessary in a democratic society," the Council's experts wrote.
They warned that enforcing the law would cause "severe and unjustified harm" to civil society and would run counter to Georgia's obligations as a Council of Europe member. "Accordingly, it would be advisable to withdraw the Act and refrain from any steps toward implementing its provisions," the opinion concluded.
Foreign Nationals Make Up 6.6% of Georgia's Population, Census Shows
The share of foreign nationals permanently residing in Georgia has reached 6.6 percent of the country's population, according to preliminary data from the 2024 census released by the National Statistics Office (Geostat).
The update, published on August 26, indicates a sharp rise compared to the 2014 census, when only 0.6 percent of Georgia's residents were foreign nationals. At the time, 22,131 foreign citizens were recorded. This year's preliminary figure translates into more than 250,000 people, marking a tenfold increase.
"According to preliminary data, as of November 14, 2024, the population of Georgia amounted to 3,914 thousand people, of which 2,078 thousand (53 percent) are women, and 1,836 thousand (47 percent) are men," Geostat said in its update. The office added that "at least 93.4 percent are citizens of Georgia, and no more than 6.6 percent are foreign citizens permanently residing in the country."
If confirmed in the final results, the number of Georgian citizens would stand at 3,655,676. That represents a slight decrease of around 22,000 compared to the 2014 census, which recorded 3,677,833 citizens.
The latest census was carried out between November 14 and December 31, 2024, covering all regions under Tbilisi's control. The Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali were not included. Preliminary results published earlier this year had already shown an overall population increase of more than 200,000 compared to 2014.
Geostat explained that the census included "all citizens of Georgia permanently residing in the country, as well as foreign citizens and stateless persons residing in the country for more than 12 months."
The final data from the 2024 census are expected in June 2025. The findings come amid ongoing concerns over the emigration of Georgian citizens, as well as growing debate over immigration policy. In recent years, authorities have introduced restrictions on residency and work permits while also reporting on expulsions of foreigners staying illegally in the country.
