On February 27, Irakli Kobakhidze, the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, stated that he was confident that the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe might have some remarks on specifics or recommendations but asserted that they would definitely adopt one or the other draft; until then, they will wait for the Venice Commission's opinion. 

The governing majority said it would submit the bills for evaluation by the European Commission for Democracy through Law, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, more generally known as the Venice Commission, in response to the uproar from civil society and Georgia's international allies. According to him, the parliament will accept both recently submitted proposals at first reading. "The Venice Commission's judgment will be considered before deciding whether to pass one or the other in the second and third readings," he added.

Kobakhidze asserted that no one could dispute that transparency is not desirable, suggesting that the ruling party would merely take the probable Venice Commission criticism's technical points into account.

Additionally, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said she would veto the Transparency of Foreign Influence bill if the parliament passed it. President claimed that the proposed legislation distances Georgia from Europe. "I am categorically against the bill being under consideration. I will not join the discussion. In any case, I will veto it. I do not have legal arguments that this or another article is not applicable. It is the law that directly distances us from Europe. Therefore, it is unacceptable for me," she stated.

Moreover, on February 28, Pawel Herczynski, the Ambassador of the European Union in Georgia, said that he hopes the foreign agents bill does not become law. "This is the wrong message and contradicts at least two of the EU's twelve priorities, which concern civil society and media freedom," he added.

"It is the wrong message at the wrong time. This initiative contradicts at least two of the 12 priorities - civil society and priorities on media freedom. I also understand this is just an initiative that has not yet been properly discussed. So, there is still time, and I sincerely hope this initiative will not become a law," the ambassador noted. According to the official, Brussels has expressed its opinion regarding the bill on foreign agents, which is against the norms and principles of the European Union. "My superiors from Brussels have already expressed their opinion, and it is as clear that this possible law will be directed against the norms and principles of the European Union," Herczynski stated.

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