Statement by the Secretary General Thomas E. Garrett

I join many Governing Council Members of the Community of Democracies to express my concern over the Georgian parliament’s “foreign agents’ law.”

A thriving civic space and an empowered civil society are not just integral to democracy, but they also infuse it with strength and vibrancy. I was privileged to witness this firsthand during my visit to Georgia, where I had the opportunity to engage with both the government and civil society.

The peaceful and unwavering protests in Tbilisi are a testament to this potential and the law is now vetoed by President Salome Zourabichvili.

As the Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, I urge Georgia’s authorities to support civil society, promote laws that foster an enabling civic space, and not impose restrictions limiting civil society’s capacity to operate peacefully.