Georgian Parliament Speaker calls for international standard to regulate foreign interference

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday called for the establishment of an international standard to regulate foreign interference and funding, based on the principles of sovereignty, accountability and consent.

Addressing the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Rome, held under the auspices of the Council of Europe, Papuashvili said covert foreign funding deserved particular attention as one of the least visible yet most damaging means of undermining democracy and sovereignty.

“Democratic resilience begins with one simple truth: a democracy that is not accountable to its own citizens or does not act in accordance with its national interests is already in a weakened position before any threat emerges”, Papuashvili said.

He stressed that transparency in foreign funding was not a departure from democratic values but, rather, a means of protecting them.

“Hybrid threats, including disinformation, cyberattacks, covert funding and foreign interference, rarely operate in isolation. They reinforce one another and target the credibility of our democratic institutions and decision-making processes”, he said.

Papuashvili identified foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) as one of the most widespread and damaging instruments used in this context.

“It typically takes the form of coordinated disinformation campaigns that intensify particularly during elections or periods of political instability”, he said.

Citing Georgia’s elections two years ago, Papuashvili argued that even the most advanced technical safeguards could not prevent disinformation and false allegations of electoral violations from deepening polarization and fueling confusion surrounding the electoral process.

“Some foreign-funded groups sought to undermine public trust in the fairness and legitimacy of the electoral process itself. This clearly reminds us that resilience in the information space can prove decisive in protecting state sovereignty and, consequently, democratic processes”, he continued.

The Parliament Speaker reiterated that covert foreign funding warranted particular scrutiny because it was among the least visible and most damaging means of undermining democracy and sovereignty.

“When external actors finance specific domestic political forces, they deepen existing divisions and turn ordinary political debate into a tool for advancing their preferred agendas and intensifying political polarization”, Papuashvili said.

He noted that a growing number of countries, including those that had previously criticised similar legislation in other states, were now introducing measures to address the same risks.

“Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries are strengthening their transparency and foreign funding regulations. Such legislation has become an important instrument for safeguarding democracy and strengthening democratic resilience”, he noted.

Papuashvili emphasised that transparency in foreign funding was essential to protecting, rather than undermining, democratic values.

“The principle is simple: a government accountable to its people must have information about the money and influence entering its country's political space”, the Speaker said.

He also argued that foreign interference was rarely a one-sided phenomenon.

“Many states that condemn the erosion of the international order simultaneously seek to influence the internal affairs of other countries. National parliaments should not have to address this challenge in isolation. The Council of Europe's recent work, including its resolution on foreign interference and ongoing discussions on protecting democracy and elections, already provides a solid foundation”, he said.

Papuashvili maintained that foreign interference threatened sovereignty and democracy regardless of whether it originated from a hostile or friendly state.

“Foreign interference is inherently a hostile act because its purpose is to restrict the freedom of the people and undermine democracy. It therefore remains a hostile act regardless of whether it comes from an adversary or an ally”, he said.

He concluded by calling for a common international framework to address foreign interference and funding.

“It is time to establish an international standard for transparency and the regulation of foreign interference and funding, based on sovereignty, accountability and consent. Only resilient and accountable democracies operating under common rules will be able to respond effectively to hybrid threats”, Papuashvili concluded.