- Georgian opposition supporters protest against draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament
epa11311300 A protester carries a flag as Georgian opposition party supporters attend a protest against a draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 April 2024. The Georgian Parliament, against the backdrop of mass protests in Tbilisi, adopted the bill on foreign agents in the first reading. The second reading was appointed on 30 April. For 16 days, opponents of the bill have been gathering in front of the Georgian Parliament and blocking Rustaveli Avenue. Today they also wanted to surround the building to prevent the deputies from leaving it, but the police are preventing this. EPA/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI
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- Georgian opposition supporters protest against draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament
epa11311298 Georgian policemen detain participants of a protest against a draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 April 2024. The Georgian Parliament, against the backdrop of mass protests in Tbilisi, adopted the bill on foreign agents in the first reading. The second reading was appointed on 30 April. For 16 days, opponents of the bill have been gathering in front of the Georgian Parliament and blocking Rustaveli Avenue. Today they also wanted to surround the building to prevent the deputies from leaving it, but the police are preventing this. EPA/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI
” data-title=”Georgian opposition supporters protest against draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament – Thousands of people in front of the Georgian Parliament against foreign agents law – SAPO 24″>
- Georgian opposition supporters protest against draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament
epa11311299 Georgian opposition party supporters attend a protest against a draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 April 2024. The Georgian Parliament, against the backdrop of mass protests in Tbilisi, adopted the bill on foreign agents in the first reading. The second reading was appointed on 30 April. For 16 days, opponents of the bill have been gathering in front of the Georgian Parliament and blocking Rustaveli Avenue. Today they also wanted to surround the building to prevent the deputies from leaving it, but the police are preventing this. EPA/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI
” data-title=”Georgian opposition supporters protest against draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament – Thousands of people in front of the Georgian Parliament against foreign agents law – SAPO 24″>
- Georgian opposition supporters protest against draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament
epa11311302 A Georgian opposition party supporter reacts during a protest against a draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 April 2024. The Georgian Parliament, against the backdrop of mass protests in Tbilisi, adopted the bill on foreign agents in the first reading. The second reading was appointed on 30 April. For 16 days, opponents of the bill have been gathering in front of the Georgian Parliament and blocking Rustaveli Avenue. Today they also wanted to surround the building to prevent the deputies from leaving it, but the police are preventing this. EPA/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI
” data-title=”Georgian opposition supporters protest against draft bill on ‘foreign agents’ near the Parliament – Thousands of people in front of the Georgian Parliament against foreign agents law – SAPO 24″>
The protesters, who went to the Parliament area in the capital Tbilisi, accompanied by a large police force, equipped themselves with flags and posters to express their rejection of the law, which was approved this Monday by the Legal Affairs committee. , according to the Interpress news agency.
The Ministry of the Interior recalled, in a statement, that “it is prohibited to block the entrances to administrative bodies and hinder their activities”, which is why it asked the organizers and participants of the protests not to break the law.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has already announced that she will veto the law, criticized because it will harm freedom of expression and the fundamental rights of the Georgian population if it is approved in the second and third readings in Parliament.
The law will require all organizations, media outlets and similar entities that receive at least 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as “agents of foreign influence.”
The text is the same as in 2023, although with some modifications. However, last year, the opposition and part of society demonstrated against this legislative proposal because it was a demonstration of sympathy towards Russia.
The Government led by the ruling Georgian Dream party, in turn, rejected these accusations and argued that the proposal would simply serve to have a list of organizations financed by foreigners.
Critics of this law also point to a possible deviation from the path of European integration.
On Sunday, 20,000 people participated in a “march for Europe” in the Georgian capital, calling once again for the bill to be withdrawn.
The text, which took thousands of Georgians to the streets since it was presented for the second time in parliament in mid-April, was denounced for its similarity to a law adopted in Russia, which allowed, in just a few years, to silence opposition to Vladimir Putin.
It also raised concerns in Brussels, which warned that the adoption of this type of law could reduce Georgia’s chances of joining the EU.
Tags: Thousands people front Georgian Parliament foreign agents law Current Affairs
