In a move that has ignited widespread unrest and drawn international condemnation, the Georgian parliament has approved a contentious “foreign agents” bill, prompting thousands of protesters to flood the streets of Tbilisi.
The bill mandates media outlets and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad. Critics argue that the legislation mirrors similar laws in Russia, notorious for suppressing political dissent and opposition voices.
During the third and final reading of the bill on Tuesday, politicians voted 84 to 30 in favor, triggering protests that escalated into skirmishes between demonstrators and riot police outside the parliament building in central Tbilisi. Inside the chamber, scuffles erupted as opposition MPs clashed with members of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Although President Salome Zourabichvili has indicated her intention to veto the bill, parliamentary dominance by Georgian Dream raises the possibility of an override.
Chanting “no to the Russian law,” thousands of mainly young protesters assembled outside parliament ahead of the vote, with several thousand more joining the rally after news of the bill’s approval spread. Demonstrators later blocked traffic at a key road intersection in central Tbilisi, leading to the arrest of 13 individuals by the Ministry of Interior Affairs for “disobeying police orders.”
The European Union has denounced the law as “incompatible” with Georgia’s aspirations for EU membership, while US Assistant Secretary of State Jim O’Brien warned of potential travel restrictions and financial sanctions against individuals involved in the legislation’s enactment.
Georgian Dream has defended the bill as a means to enhance transparency in NGO funding and reiterated its commitment to EU integration. However, the controversy surrounding the legislation casts a shadow over the upcoming parliamentary elections, viewed as a crucial democratic milestone for the Black Sea country.
