Asked about the FARA reports released by the US State Department on the activities of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s lobbyists, US Ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, on Friday, said “I have not seen those documents.”

“But I think it is indicative of the Russian-style law that was voted down here in March, focused on NGOs, Georgian NGOs, working for Georgia’s best interests. The United States’ act is focused on lobbyists and law firms who are hired by outside sources to work with the benefit of those outside sources. So there’s quite a distinct difference between the US law and what was voted down here, the Russian-style law. And we see by looking at Russia, the impact of that style of a foreign agent’s law. It had a devastating effect on NGOs in Russia, most of whom have either closed or left,” she told media outlets.

The Ambassador explained that “the US law that is focused on transparency of law firms and lobbyists that are hired by foreigners to work for the foreigners’ interests, is quite different and provides transparency that’s useful here in Georgia. You already have substantial transparency on the work of donors, NGOs, working with Georgian NGOs for Georgia’s best interests. So they’re quite different situations.”