In a dramatic turn of events, the Georgian parliament passed the controversial “foreign influence” law in its second reading on Wednesday, despite weeks of protests and criticism from Brussels. The MPs in Tbilisi voted 83 in favor and 23 against adopting the law, which opponents believe will be used to suppress critical media and organizations.
The decision was met with immediate outrage, leading to tens of thousands of demonstrators gathering in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi, waving flags of Georgia and the European Union. The day before, the police had dispersed demonstrators with tear gas and rubber bullets, leading to 63 arrests.
The Foreign Ministry in Wien expressed deep concern about the violence against peaceful demonstrators in Georgia and emphasized the importance of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression in a democracy. The ruling party in Georgia, Georgian Dream, aims for the law to come into force in mid-May, requiring organizations receiving at least 20 percent of their funding from abroad to officially register in the country. Critics have drawn parallels between this law and the “foreign agents” law in Russia, which allows authorities to crack down on critical media and organizations.
Protests against the “foreign influence” law have been ongoing in Georgia for weeks, despite the country officially being a candidate for EU membership since December. Brussels has warned that the law undermines Georgia’s membership ambitions. The protesters are calling for a return to dialogue and emphasize the importance of a strong civil society in Georgia’s European path. The demonstrations continue as the country grapples with the implications of the controversial law.