Not the same country? | Mieroszewski Centre

Can independent actors still operate in Georgia? How do NGOs function when any foreign support requires government approval? What happens to media outlets that can no longer receive international funding? And what does everyday life look like for activists when defamation is criminalised and access to grants is blocked by a new law?

These questions are addressed in the report by the Mieroszewski Centre, “Not the same country?”, which provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of Georgia’s political and legal transformation following the 2024 parliamentary elections. The report combines a detailed review of new legislation with an analysis of how it is applied in practice, as well as case studies of ten NGOs and media organisations now operating under conditions of sharply restricted freedom.

Georgia after 2024: a country transformed at speed

After the 2024 elections, Georgia entered a period of rapid and highly controversial reforms. Under the banner of protecting sovereignty, the government passed a series of new laws that significantly strengthened state control over society. According to the report’s authors, the pace of these changes has surpassed standards seen even in Russia or Belarus.

The new legislative package simultaneously targets NGOs, media organisations, educators, opinion leaders, and even volunteers.

The most significant reforms include:

• a “foreign influence transparency” law requiring any organisation receiving at least 20% of its funding from abroad to register,
• a FARA-style law extending liability to individuals, imposing pre-registration requirements and introducing prison sentences,
• a ban on foreign funding for media outlets and a major expansion of the state regulator’s powers to intervene in editorial content,
• a requirement for government approval for every grant, with an exceptionally broad definition of “grant” covering knowledge transfer, training and technical assistance,
• stricter defamation provisions (including shifting the burden of proof),
• the reintroduction of the crime of “treason”,
• the removal of the terms “gender” and “gender identity” from legislation, lowering human-rights protection standards.

The result is a legal environment full of loopholes, arbitrary interpretation and high risk of abuse — one that encourages pressure on independent organisations and media.

Everyday reality for NGOs and media: no funding, high risk, forced emigration

Interviews conducted for the report reveal four main areas of crisis:

1. Funding

New laws have effectively cut NGOs off from legal foreign grants. Many donors have suspended funding to avoid exposing their partners to risk. Organisations face a stark choice: register as a “foreign agent” or suspend operations. Some have already relocated to EU countries.

One organisation notes: “We are on the verge of bankruptcy — if new funding does not appear, from December we will no longer be able to operate.”

2. Organisational capacity

The sector relies increasingly on volunteers. Political purges in public institutions and pressure on the labour market have led to an exodus of experienced staff. Long-term planning has become virtually impossible.

3. Physical, legal and digital security

Repression includes assaults during protests, detentions, court cases, cyberattacks and frozen bank accounts. Between autumn 2024 and May 2025, 145 attacks on 193 journalists were documented. Many activists and reporters have chosen to leave the country.

4. Public image and communication

Pro-government media run smear campaigns, labelling activists “traitors” or “Western agents”. Online manipulation and conspiracy narratives such as the “Global Party of War” target NGOs and newsrooms, amplified by trolls and bots. As public trust declines, organisations move their communication to secure channels (e.g., Signal).

How to support civil society in Georgia

The report outlines concrete actions that can provide real support:

Stable funding

• core funding and bridging microgrants for basic operational costs,
• safe cooperation models via intermediaries or EU-based entities,
• direct cash support for activists, journalists and artists.

Organisational development

• training, mentoring and leadership programmes,
• building membership structures,
• supporting consortia and cross-sector cooperation networks.

Legal and digital security

• assistance in registering NGOs in the EU,
• legal support, monitoring of repression, rapid-response mechanisms,
• cyber-security audits, tools and training.

Communication and media literacy

• fact-checking initiatives, public-information campaigns,
• cooperation with Polish media and cultural institutions,
• support for Georgian media content production.

Why this report was written

Although Georgia is undergoing rapid autocratisation, the country is still home to many people defending free media, human rights and the European orientation of the state. They are among the most vulnerable — and the most in need of international support.

The report “Not the same country?” aims to present a realistic picture of the ongoing changes and propose practical, safe avenues of assistance. The authors — who remain anonymous for their own safety — document both the scale of the challenge and the resilience of those still working to protect civic freedoms in Georgia.