“Active civil society is a crucial component of any modern democracy. So anything that hinders the ability of civil society to operate is something that we would be extremely concerned about,” Mark Clayton, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Georgia, told journalists.

When asked about the potential threat posed by the “transparency of foreign influence” law to Georgia’s democracy and European integration, Ambassador Clayton noted that while Britain is no longer a member of the European Union, representatives of the EU have expressed their position on the matter.

Regarding the United Kingdom’s stance, Ambassador Clayton emphasized that Britain remains a strong supporter of democracy and human rights worldwide.

“So, obviously the United Kingdom is no longer a member of the European Union. I can’t speak for them. My European Union colleague, Pawel, also Charles Michel, have been crystal clear about the implications of this law for Georgia’s European perspective. In terms of the UK, the UK is an extremely strong supporter of democracy and human rights across the globe. We firmly believe that a lively, vibrant, active civil society is a crucial component of any modern democracy. So anything that curbs or it restricts or hinders the ability of civil society to operate is something that we would be extremely concerned about, and we’ve been clear about that already,” the ambassador remarked.