“I think the society saw yesterday that there are attempts to shout down the discussions. We are witnessing the disinformation attack on the Georgian society, the attempt to suppress common sense with slogans and dogmas,” said Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

According to the Speaker, no arguments are presented, and discussions are based on dogmatism.

“Yesterday, a question was asked but never answered. The response was that somebody abroad dislikes the bill. Brussels and Washington say no. This country and its people underwent different stages. For the last 30 years, we have learned that what Georgian people voice matters rather than certain opinions. When we speak with foreign actors, we also face the dogmatic argument that one part of the society does not want the bill to be adopted.

I remind you that a similar tool was used over the so-called vetting. We ask the non-governmental sector why foreign experts should conduct the vetting. We ask this question to foreigners, and they say that local NGOs say so. In reality, there are attempts to prohibit society from having common sense. Society passed this stage and knows well that discussions have no alternative. They will not have success in suppressing discussions by speaking with dogmas,” he said.

The Georgian Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee approved the Draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence amid mass protest on Monday.