Georgia’s ruling party moves to tighten law on grants

Georgia’s ruling party is pushing forward with new legislation that would tighten the country’s Law on Grants, expanding government control over international financial and technical assistance to civil society groups.

The draft law, introduced by MPs from the ruling Georgian Dream party and its affiliated People's Power movement, is being fast-tracked through parliament and could be adopted within a week.

The proposed changes would broaden the definition of a grant to include not only financial assistance but also technical support, expert guidance, and knowledge sharing. Under the revised law, any such support provided by international organizations would require prior approval from the Georgian government or an authorized body.

Tornike Cheishvili, one of the bill’s authors and a Georgian Dream MP, defended the legislation during a plenary session. “The law further clarifies the provision on grants,” he said, adding that the aim is to safeguard the country’s sovereignty. “Technical or expert assistance, knowledge sharing, and other similar contributions will also be considered grants.”

This latest move follows amendments passed last month, which already imposed strict conditions on civil society organizations. Those changes prohibit the acceptance of grants without government consent, set a 10-day deadline for official responses, and bar appeals from suspending the government’s decisions. Violations can result in fines amounting to twice the value of the unauthorized grant.

Critics say the legislation targets independent media outlets and NGOs that rely on support from international donors, many of whom have voiced concern over Georgia’s democratic backsliding. Several rights groups and Western diplomats have warned that the measures could further isolate the country from its strategic partners and undermine its path toward European integration.

The draft law was registered on 21 May by nine MPs from the Georgian Dream and People's Power factions, including Archil Gorduladze, Aleksandre Tabatadze, and Guram Macharashvili.

While the government maintains that the changes are necessary to prevent foreign interference, opponents accuse the ruling party of attempting to silence dissent and consolidate power.