Georgia: new demonstration against a law considered liberticidal

Thousands of people demonstrated Sunday in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, demanding again the withdrawal of a bill on "foreignè" considered as inspired by Russia and aiming à silence the opposition.

Waving European and Georgian flags, around 10,000 people gathered at Republic Square in central Tbilisi, with the ambition of marching in a “European march” to the Parliament.

Demonstration against a bill on “foreign influence” considered to be inspired by Russia and aimed at silencing the opposition, April 28, 2024 in Tbilisi © AFP – Vano SHLAMOV

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The text, which has brought thousands of Georgians into the streets since it was tabled in Parliament for the second time in mid-April by the ruling Georgian Dream party, also aroused concern in Brussels which warned that the adoption of this type of law could destroy Georgia's chances of joining the EU.

A first attempt to pass this text had failed a year ago after a massive mobilization of the opposition.

Sunday's demonstration was organized at the call of human rights groups man and opposition parties, who had until now remained on the sidelines in a fight which mainly mobilized young people.

“The authorities, who reintroduced the project of Russian law, go beyond what the Constitution allows and change the direction given to the country, betraying the invariable will of the people,” the organizers wrote in a press release.

< p>“This law, like this government, is incompatible with Georgia's historic choice to be a member of the European Union,” said Nika Gvaramia, the leader of the opposition Akhali party, to AFP in the demonstration.

A former Soviet republic in the Caucasus, Georgia took a pro-Western turn two decades ago, an orientation long supported by former president Mikheil Saakashvili now imprisoned. But the party currently in power, Georgian Dream, is accused by the opposition of insidiously bringing the country back towards Moscow.

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