What Will No Longer Be Considered a Grant – Georgian Dream Proposes Amendments to Law Adopted a Month Ago

Members of the Georgian Dream party have introduced new amendments to the Law on Grants in Parliament. According to the proposed changes, the definition of a grant will be further уточified, excluding certain funds issued by accredited diplomatic missions and international organizations in Georgia.

As a reminder, on March 4, 2026, Parliament adopted legislative amendments defining a grant as any monetary or in-kind support received from a foreign power (a state or an individual) that:

• aims to influence Georgia’s state policy or public opinion;
• reflects the interests or approaches of a foreign government or political party.

Under the new draft law, the above-mentioned clause regarding the promotion of foreign interests will no longer apply to certain entities. Specifically, the following will no longer be classified as grants:

• funds issued by diplomatic missions;
• consular offices;
• representations of international organizations,

even if such funding reflects the political or public interests of a foreign country.

The authors of the bill explain that diplomatic and international missions, by their nature, serve the interests of their sending states, and their activities often inherently reflect foreign political interests.

“A representation of an international organization, like a diplomatic mission, inherently serves to protect and advance the interests of the respective entity in the host country. In many cases, the political or public interests of the sending entity play a central role in their activities.”

According to the explanatory note, the current version of the law does not, in practice, apply to such relationships. However, the amendment is necessary to ensure a uniform interpretation of the law.

The draft specifies that this exemption applies only to funds directly related to the official activities of diplomatic missions. The goal is to adopt the amendments within an accelerated timeframe to avoid disrupting the work of accredited missions in Georgia.

The initiators are requesting the bill to be reviewed under an expedited procedure.