TIFLIS. Thousands of people protested in Georgia after Parliament approved the controversial “foreign influence” law, a rule that the EU has warned undermines the country’s aspirations to join the bloc, comparing it to Russian regulations that the Kremlin uses to silence the opposition.
The legislators approved the law by 84 to 30 in its third reading in a tense session in which there were altercations between the ruling parliamentarians of Sueño Georgiano and the opposition.
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Outside the building, demonstrators continued protests that have been going on for more than a month against the reform that critics say is similar to legislation used in Russia to silence the opposition.
About 2,000 protesters, mostly young people, gathered outside Parliament and chanted slogans such as “No to the Russian law.”
Protesters later blocked traffic at a major intersection in the center of the capital Tbilisi.
Several protesters were treated by medics after police used tear gas on the crowd, while police dragged some people away.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that 13 protesters were detained.
The EU warned that this law is “incompatible” with Georgia’s aspirations to join the bloc of 27 and before the vote a European spokesperson said that the text is an “obstacle.”
The United States also criticized the reform and stated that the country has time to “change course.”
“Our view is that the Georgian government must change course,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.
The White House also warned that Washington could “reevaluate” its ties with that Caucasus country.
Washington repeatedly warned of the scope of the legislation, to the point that the top US diplomat for Europe, Jim O’Brien, visited the country.
Patel referred to polls showing that more than 80 percent of Georgians are in favor of joining the European Union (EU).
The law stipulates that NGOs and press organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad register as entities that serve the “interests of a foreign power.”
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The Georgian president, Salome Zurabishvili – pro-European and in conflict with the ruling party – promised that she will veto the law, but the ruling party has enough seats to annul this procedure.
The opposition denounced that with the approval of this Georgian Dream law “it has handed Georgia over to Russia, established a Russian regime in the country and declared war on its own people.”
2024-05-15 11:00:00
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