The "Foreign Agents Registration Act," passed in May by Georgia's Parliament, requires NGOs and media outlets to register as groups "bearing the interest of a foreign power" if they receive more than 20 percent of funding from foreign donors.

Opponents of the act say it could be used to suppress political opposition to the government, drawing parallels to similar legislation Russia passed in 2012 that has been used to silence political dissent, the BBC reported.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) wrote in a social media post on Sunday that the law represents Georgia's descent into authoritarian rule.

"The Foreign Agents Registration Act coming into force today marks another grim step in Georgian Dream's crackdown on democracy in Georgia," he said.

The minister also said that the act hinders Georgia's ability to join the European Union.

"The law violates core democratic principles, silences critics, civil society, media and clearly derails Georgia from its path toward the EU," he wrote.

The Foreign Agents Registration Act coming into force today marks another grim step in Georgian Dream's crackdown on democracy in Georgia.

The law violates core democratic principles, silences critics, civil society, media & clearly derails Georgia from its path toward the EU. https://t.co/ellfNFfQMr

— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) May 31, 2025

Estonia has been one of the most outspoken critics of the ruling Georgian Dream Party's crackdown on democratic values.

Along with Latvia and Lithuania, it was one of the first countries to sanction Georgian officials last autumn after the security services used force against pro-eu protesters.

So far, it has imposed entry bans on 83 Georgian citizens, mostly politicians or security officials involved in repressing protesters, and revoked diplomats' visa-free access to Estonia.

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