In the Parliament of Georgia, the discussion of the law on “foreign agents” has begun — people are protesting

At the meeting of the committee on legal issues of the Parliament of Georgia, the discussion of the law on "foreign agents", or rather the draft law "On the transparency of foreign influence", began. Because of this, people went to protests.

"Echo of the Caucasus" writes about it.

The parliament introduced restrictions on meetings — the "yellow" security level is in effect in the building, and only journalists from television companies were allowed to enter the legislative body from the media.

Georgian oppositioners also take part in the discussions, but the head of the committee on legal issues, Anri Ohanashvili, turns off the microphone when they call this law a "Russian law". The opposition calls on the ruling party to withdraw the bill.

Meanwhile, under the parliament building, protestors are chanting "No to the Russian law!" and compare the Georgian draft law on "foreign agents" with the similar Russian one. The protesters brought the flags of the European Union with them.

What preceded this

Last year, the ruling party "Georgian Dream" already introduced the draft law "On transparency of foreign influence" to the parliament. The document provided for the emergence of a register of so-called foreign agents — non-profit legal organizations and media that are financed from abroad by more than 20%. Already on March 7, 2023, the Parliament of Georgia approved the draft law in the first reading, which led to mass protests. According to local media estimates, up to forty thousand people gathered near the parliament building that day.

The protests ended in clashes with security forces. President Salome Zurabishvili supported the demonstrators, she promised to veto the law. Already on March 9, the parties that previously supported the adoption of the document "revoked" it. The police released 133 detainees under public pressure, but the protesters demanded the resignation of the government and early elections.

On March 10, 2023, the Parliament of Georgia stopped consideration of the draft law on "foreign agents". Only one deputy supported the project in the second reading, 35 voted against it.