Thousands of Georgians took to the streets in protest and politicians clashed in parliament after ruling party lawmakers gave the first go-ahead to consider the “foreign agents” bill. The bill has been criticized by Western and domestic critics as being Russian-inspired.
More than 5,000 demonstrators gathered outside the Soviet-built parliament building in Georgia's capital Tbilisi on Monday to demand the repeal of a bill that would have imposed fines on organizations accepting foreign funds if they did not register as foreign agents. demanded the government.
Critics have dubbed the bill the “Russia Law” and compared it to legislation used by the Kremlin to crack down on dissent.
The ruling Georgian Dream party announced this month that it would reintroduce the bill, 13 months after it was shelved due to mass protests.
Parliament's legal affairs committee, controlled by Georgian Dream and its allies, approved the bill, paving the way for it to be submitted to first reading on Tuesday.
Demonstrators shouted “Russians!” Russian! ” Police set up a cordon guarding access to parliament, and water cannons were deployed nearby. Some even unfurled a giant European Union flag outside parliament.
Activists urged demonstrators to return to parliament on Tuesday.
Footage broadcast on Georgian television shows Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the Georgian Dream faction and the architect behind the bill, being punched in the face by opposition politician Aleko Elisashvili while speaking in the legislature on Monday. was reflected.
This incident sparked a scuffle between members of Congress.
Russia is widely unpopular in Georgia because it supports the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia also defeated Georgia in a short war in 2008.
Georgia has long sought to deepen ties with the West, but the current ruling party has been accused of trying to reunite the former Soviet republic with Russia.
The bill has strained relations with European countries and the United States, which oppose its passage. The EU, which granted Georgia candidate status in December, said the move was inconsistent with its values.
Georgian Dream says it wants to deepen ties with Russia and see the country join the EU and NATO, despite facing accusations of authoritarianism at home. The bill says it is needed to counter what it calls “pseudo-liberal values” imposed by foreigners and to promote transparency.
