Georgia's president vetoes media law that has sparked mass protests

2024-05-18 21:47:40, Kosova & Bota CNA

Georgia's president vetoes media law that has sparked mass protests

The President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Saturday vetoed the so-called "Russian law" that targets the media and has sparked mass protests for weeks.

If it goes into effect, media and NGOs that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad would be required to register as foreign agents "serving the interests of a foreign power."

Critics of the bill, approved by parliament on Tuesday, say it bears too many similarities to laws used by the Kremlin to silence opponents and will hinder Georgia's European aspirations.

Georgia's president, Salome Zourabichvili, said on Saturday that the law contradicted the constitution and "all European standards" and added that it "must be repealed", highlighting her differences with the ruling party.

The ruling party, Georgian Dream, has enough of a majority to override President Zourabichvili's veto and is widely expected to make the move in the coming days.

The Georgian government insists the law is in support of transparency and aims to curb what it calls foreign and harmful influence in the country of 3.7 million people.

Many Georgian journalists and activists vehemently dispute this characterization, saying they are currently subject to demands for control and monitoring.

They argue that the real purpose of the law is to stigmatize them and limit debate ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in October.

Last December, the European Union offered Georgia candidate country status, while making it clear that Tbilisi must implement the bloc's recommendations in order to make progress in this direction.

The recommendations include the development of free and fair elections, fighting disinformation "against the EU and its values". The bloc has asked Georgia to maintain the independence of public institutions such as the Central Bank as well as anti-corruption bodies.

The opposition "United National Movement" and many protesters accuse the ruling party "Georgian Dream" of trying to hinder the process of the country's integration into the EU and that, on the other hand, it is pushing Georgia towards the sphere of Russian influence, statements that have been made down from the government.

The Georgian Dream party was founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, former prime minister and billionaire who made his fortune in Russia. The law is almost identical to a bill the ruling party was forced to withdraw last year after protests.

Demonstrations have gripped Georgia for weeks, as protesters have clashed with police who have used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them.

Earlier this month, an opposition lawmaker who spoke in Parliament had his head bandaged, with visible bruises and cuts. His allies said he had been attacked by police during the protests.

EU officials and Western leaders have repeatedly expressed their concerns about the bill, as well as police violence against protesters.

On August 8, 2008, Russia attacked Georgia, in what is known as the five-day war, in support of the separatist territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which Moscow recognized as independent states.

Relations between Russia and Georgia have been tense since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Georgia's declaration of independence./ VOA