Yesterday at 23:33
On May 14, Georgia’s Parliament passed the bill “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” which has been the reason for massive protests in Tbilisi for weeks.
That’s according to RFE/RL’s Echo of the Caucasus.
In the third and final reading, 84 lawmakers supported the law initiated by the ruling Georgian Dream party. It has been trying to deal with the protesters with water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets.
Today, the media also report clashes outside the parliament as the protest against the law very similar to Russian one continues.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili promised not to sign the bill as she opposes the ruling party. Still, a majority in the parliament can overturn her veto and preserve the dubious legislation.
According to the protesters and opposition, the law undermines the European future of the country which, just like Ukraine, has the EU candidate status. Thos against it, call it “the Russian law” and expect it to be used against independent media and activists.
The EU has claimed the bill is “incompatible with European values”.
On May 13, twelve EU foreign ministers called on Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to provide an oral report on how Georgia’s draft law on “Transparency of Foreign Influence” will affect Georgia’s accession to the EU, Radio Liberty’s Europe editor Rickard Jozwiak reported. No such statement has been made, though Borrell condemned the violence against the protesters.
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