Georgia parliament passes foreign influence law that sparked mass protests

2024-05-14 22:40:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Georgia parliament passes foreign influence law that sparked mass protests

Illustrative photo

Georgian lawmakers on Tuesday approved the "foreign influence" law that has sparked mass protests for weeks, with critics calling it a Russian-style threat to free speech and the country's European Union membership bid.

After the law was passed with 84 votes in favor and 30 against, a group of protesters in front of the parliament building tried to break the protective metal barriers. There were reports that some protesters were stopped by the police.

The draft law forces media, non-governmental organizations and other non-profit groups to register as being under foreign influence, in case more than 20 percent of the funds for their activity are financed from abroad.

The government says the legal framework is needed to curb what it describes as harmful foreign actors trying to destabilize politics in Georgia, a country of 3.7 million people.

The opposition has labeled the proposal a "Russian law" because Moscow is implementing similar legislation to crack down on independent media, organizations and activists it deems opposed to the Kremlin.

European Council President Charles Michel said Tuesday during a conference in Copenhagen that if Georgians want to "become part of the European Union, they must respect the fundamental principles of the rule of law and democratic principles."

The law is almost identical to a bill that the ruling Georgian Dream party was forced to withdraw last year due to protests.

Other demonstrations have swept Georgia for weeks, as protesters clashed with police who used tear gas and water to disperse them.

President Salome Zourabichvili, who is deeply at odds with the ruling party, has vowed to veto the law if it is passed by parliament, but the Georgian Dream party has the necessary majority to overturn it.

As lawmakers discussed the law inside parliament on Tuesday, police forces specialized in stopping violent groups were lined up outside the building.

Over the weekend, thousands of people took to the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, and many stood outside parliament until Monday morning.

In the plenary hall, the debate was interrupted due to a clash

Georgian Dream lawmaker Dimitry Samkharadze was seen moving swiftly and violently towards Levan Khabeishvili, head of the main opposition United National Movement party, after he accused Mr Samkharadze of organizing mobs to abuse opposition supporters. .

Several protesters and members of the opposition have recently been assaulted in incidents that the opposition says occurred because of participation in the protests.

During a speech on Tuesday, Georgian Dream party MP Archil Talakvadze accused the "radical and anti-national opposition" of using the protests for political purposes.

"Nothing and no one will stop the development of our country", he said.

Ana Tsitlidze from the United National Movement party said that the protests show that the united Georgia is "fighting for its European future", adding that "if today they say no to a law similar to the Russian law, they are actually saying no to the regime Russian".

After the law is sent to President Zourabichvili, she has 14 days to veto it, or approve it./ Voa