Protests have continued in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, against proposed legislation aimed at combating perceived foreign influence in the South Caucasus nation.
If enacted, the law would require organizations that accept funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents” or face financial penalties.
On April 28, thousands marched through the streets of Tbilisi to protest against the bill, which critics—both domestic and foreign—claim is “inspired” by Moscow.
According to protester Nika Shurgaia, the bill’s passage will lead to the closure of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that rely on overseas funding to pursue domestic activities.
“There are hundreds of such NGOs who have done so much good for Georgia,” Mr. Shurgaia told Reuters. “Now they face being stigmatized and possibly shut down.”
The bill’s opponents derisively call it “the Russian law,” comparing it to legislation ostensibly used by Moscow to stifle political dissent.
The Kremlin has denied any association with the controversial bill.
Critics are also concerned that the bill’s adoption would hinder Georgia’s chances of joining the European Union, which granted the country candidate status in December 2023.
Several Western countries—including the United States, the UK, and Germany—have urged Georgia not to adopt the legislation.
Proponents of the law say it is needed to protect the country from malign foreign influences operating under the guise of “civil society.”
“Georgian society supports the notion of transparency for NGOs,” Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told reporters last week.
Such transparency “is needed for a well-informed society, which is essential for ensuring the country’s sovereignty,” he said.
The ruling Georgian Dream party, which supports the bill, also believes that the law is needed to combat what it calls “pseudo-liberal values” imposed by foreign entities.
Rallies, Counter-Rallies
Thousands of protesters converged on Tbilisi’s central square on April 28 to voice opposition to the proposed legislation.Hours later, they marched to the nearby parliament building, where they clashed with police, who responded with teargas.
During the melee, Alex Petriashvili, a former minister of state for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, was detained by police, according to local media.
Georgia’s Interior Ministry later confirmed that Mr. Petriashvili had been detained for “disorderly conduct.”
The Georgian government called on supporters to stage a counter-demonstration on the evening of April 29 in support of the bill.
On April 30, parliament will vote on the bill’s second reading, which is also widely expected to pass.
If lawmakers approve the second reading, opposition parties and civil society groups are expected to call for further demonstrations.
In accordance with Georgia’s constitution, the bill must survive three readings in parliament before it can become law.
Last year, a similar effort by the ruling party to pass the bill was scrapped after several days of demonstrations.
But earlier this month, lawmakers from the ruling party reintroduced the draft legislation, a first reading of which was approved on April 16.
Along with sparking a fresh round of protests, the move drew criticism from EU officials.
“This is a very concerning development,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on social media.
“The final adoption of this legislation would negatively impact Georgia’s progress on its EU path.”
According to Mr. Borrell, the bill—if adopted—would “limit the capacity of civil society and media organizations to operate freely ... and unfairly stigmatize organizations that deliver benefits to the citizens of Georgia.”
Bill Draws Comparison to U.S. Law
Several social media users—from Georgia and elsewhere—responded to Mr. Borrell’s statement by noting that the United States has an almost identical law: the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938.According to the U.S. Justice Department’s website, the FARA “requires certain agents of foreign principals ... to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts, and disbursements in support of those activities.”
“Disclosure of the required information facilitates evaluation by the government and the American people of the activities of such persons in light of their function as foreign agents,” it reads.
On April 19, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that Georgia’s “foreign agents” bill was considerably less stringent than those of other countries.
“In the United States, France, Poland, and many other countries, there are laws that stipulate fines and criminal penalties if you receive money [from foreign sources] and keep quiet about it,” Mr. Lavrov said in broadcast remarks.
