Riot police deployed near the Georgian Parliament as crowd gathers to protest the proposed ‘Foreign Agents’ law
- In Reports
- 12:30 PM, Apr 16, 2024
- Myind Staff
On Monday, thousands of Georgians took to the streets in protest, while inside the parliament, lawmakers scuffled as members of the ruling party gave the initial go-ahead for debate on a bill regarding "foreign agents." Over 5,000 protesters gathered outside Georgia's parliament building and demanded that the government retract the proposed legislation.
The draft — proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party — calls for media and non-commercial organizations to register as being under foreign influence if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
This proposed legislation, which has drawn criticism from both Western nations and domestic observers, is viewed as being influenced by Russian policies.
Parliament's legal affairs committee, which is controlled by the ruling Georgian Dream party and its allies, endorsed the bill, clearing the way for it to be submitted for a first reading on Tuesday.
Video shared online shows the leader of the Georgian Dream lawmakers, Mamuka Mdinaradze, being punched in the face while speaking by an opposition lawmaker who rushed up to the podium. Several other lawmakers from opposing sides then joined in the brawl, scuffling and wrestling with each other.
Russia is widely unpopular in Georgia, largely due to its backing of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia defeated Georgia in a short war in 2008.
The bill is nearly identical to a proposal that the governing party was pressured to withdraw a year ago after large street protests.
Georgia's Interior Ministry said in a statement that 14 protesters had been detained for public order violations and one police officer had been treated for injuries.
Critics of the proposed legislation argue that its passage would impede Georgia's aspiration to join the European Union, a goal the country has been pursuing. Last year, the EU awarded Georgia coveted candidate status, underscoring its desire for closer ties with the bloc.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze had a meeting Monday with the American, British and EU ambassadors to discuss the bill, the government said.
Georgian Dream, which says it wants the country to join the EU and NATO even as it has deepened ties with Moscow, says the bill is necessary to combat what it calls "pseudo-liberal values" imposed by foreigners, and to promote transparency.
Georgia's President, Salome Zourabichvili, has previously stated through her parliamentary representative, Giorgi Mskhiladze, that she would veto the law if it were passed by parliament.
However, the effectiveness of such a veto may be short-lived, given that Zourabichvili's presidential term is set to conclude this year. Under recent constitutional amendments in Georgia, the next president will be elected by an electoral college comprising all members of parliament.
Image source: Reuters
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