The President of the Congress of Local and regional Authorities, Marc Cools, made the following statement today:

“I share deep concern expressed by the Council of Europe’s Secretary General regarding the draft law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, adopted by the Georgian Parliament at third reading, and its impact on Georgia’s democracy and respect of human rights. A free and vibrant civil society is an essential component of democracy at all levels. The Congress will continue its work in Georgia to strengthen local democracy and human rights”.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states. Composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, it brings together 612 elected officials representing more than 130 000 local and regional authorities.

President of the Congress: Marc Cools (Belgium, ILDG), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Tunç Soyer (Türkiye, SOC/G/PD).

Political groups: Group of Socialists, Greens and Progressive Democrats (SOC/G/PD), Group of the European Peoples Party (EPP/CCE), Independent Liberal and Democratic Group (ILDG), European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).