Georgian mass protests escalate against "foreign agents" bill amidst police clashes
Over 15,000 people demonstrated on Sunday in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, demanding again that the authorities withdraw the bill on "foreign agents". Clashes occurred, with the police using tear gas and the protestors erecting barricades for protection against the special forces.
This protest, taking place on Sunday, marks another phase in a series of demonstrations organized by opposition parties and activists over several weeks. The inaugural event was at the start of April when the country's authorities announced they were resuming work on the bill, which had been paused a year earlier due to public pressure.
Thousands of Georgians take to the streets
The contentious law on foreign agents, modelled after a similar law in Russia, mandates that legal entities and media receiving more than 20 per cent of their funding from abroad must register and report their activities.
Furthermore, they will be placed on a special registry of foreign influence agents. The Ministry of Justice will have the authority to inspect such organizations under any pretext.
Clashes ensued between the demonstrators and the security forces, with the police deploying pepper spray.
The ruling Georgian Dream party contends that the bill aims to enhance transparency in the country's political life.
Several water cannons were also present, ready to disperse the demonstrators if ordered.
The final reading of the bill is scheduled for May 17 in parliament. Georgia's President Salome Zurabishvili has announced her intention to veto the bill, although she noted that the Georgian Dream has enough deputies to override her veto.
After work on the bill resumed, representatives from the USA, EU, and UN expressed their concern and urged Tbilisi's authorities to abandon the project. It was highlighted that the bill is at odds with Georgia's European ambitions and its European integration process. In December 2023, Georgia was granted candidate status for the EU.
Georgian Dream, in response to these appeals, stated that it would not relent. The party described the criticisms and appeals from the USA, EU, and international bodies as "interference in the internal affairs" of the country.
The protestors also erected makeshift barriers for protection, meant to shield them from the special forces. Many began to leave the square around the parliament before 10 PM Greenwich Time.
