Georgia in turmoil: Parliament clash over 'foreign agents' bill
A fierce exchange of words occurred in the Georgian parliament during the consideration of Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili's veto against the controversial bill on so-called foreign agents. A crowd of opponents of the law gathered outside the parliament building, guarded by the police.
Representatives of the opposition express their outrage, accusing the ruling Georgian Dream party of selling out the country. Deputies of this party refute these accusations, claiming that their actions align with the national interest.
Mtvari TV reports that members of the Georgian Dream, who are connected to big business, met on Tuesday with oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili is the party's founder and honorary chairman—the meeting aimed to discuss the current situation.
Since April, mass demonstrations have been organized in Georgia against the bill pushed by Georgian Dream members. This bill is called the "Russian" bill. Several protests are planned across the country on Tuesday.
In the late morning, around the parliament in Tbilisi, opponents of the bill began to gather. They chanted, "No to Russian law!" reports the Apsny.ge portal. The police guard all entrances to the parliament.
NewsGeorgia service predicts that protesters will increase after 4 PM.
"Russian-style governance model"
Critics of the bill believe that its adoption constitutes a step backwards for the country's future. They argue that it renounces the pursuit of joining the European Union and NATO, adds Apsny.ge.
President Zurabishvili, returning the vetoed bill to parliament, emphasized that it is inconsistent with the constitution and that its improvement is impossible. She proposed that the bill be in effect for one day from the moment it comes into force.
Foreign partners of Georgia are appealing to the parliament in Tbilisi not to override the veto and to abandon the bill.
Critics claim that the new regulations will allow the authorities to destroy civil society and introduce an authoritarian governance model in the Russian style.
The Georgian Dream party has enough votes to override the veto.
