In Georgia, 20,000 demonstrators after the first vote on a law on “foreign influence”

Around 20,000 people demonstrated. Wednesday in Georgia against the vote in the first reading of a text on "foreign" influence, compared with the &agrav; a repressive Russian law on "foreign agents" and seen as an obstacle to the European ambitions of this Caucasian country.

The bill, which has sparked massive rallies since the beginning of the week, has just reached a major legislative milestone by receiving the approval of deputies from the Georgian Dream party, in power, during a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Two other readings should follow, a process which could take weeks, especially since Georgian President Salomé Zourabichvili, pro-European and in conflict with the government could then veto it.

The deputies close to power, however, have a sufficient majority to overcome it.

According to its detractors, this legislation is repressive and could threaten the rapprochement of Georgia, a former Soviet republic, with the European Union.

In the evening, around 20,000 people gathered outside Parliament, blocking the capital's main thoroughfare in the face of hundreds of riot police, before marching towards the Prime Minister's offices to demand that he come and meet them. , noted an AFP journalist.

“No to Russian law!”, proclaimed the participants, while the notes of the Georgian national anthem rang out and the Ode to Joy, one of the symbols of Europe.

The text is compared to Russian legislation on “foreign agents ” used by the Kremlin since 2014 to persecute dissident voices, NGOs and independent media.

– “A step towards Russia” –

“It's a sad day for Georgia because our government has taken another step towards Russia and away from Europe”, said a demonstrator, Makvala Naskidashvili.< /p>

Demonstration against the draft law on foreign influence, in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi, April 17, 2024 in Georgia © AFP – Vano SHLAMOV

“But I am also happy to see such unity among the youth,” added this 88-year-old woman. These young people “are proud Europeans and will not let anyone spoil their European dream.”

Rallies also took place in several other cities in the country, including in the second Batumi, according to the Interpress news agency.

Monday and Tuesday, other protests were organized. Riot police chased some demonstrators through the streets around Parliament, brutalizing or arresting some.

Georgian media reported that their journalists were also mistreated by the law enforcement.

If the bill is passed, organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad will be required to register as “organizations pursuing the interests of a foreign power”, under penalty of fines.

Demonstration against the draft law on foreign influence, in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi, April 17, 2024 in Georgia © AFP – Vano SHLAMOV

The EU, which granted Georgia candidate status in December, asked for the text to be abandoned, considering that it goes against the reform program that this country must undertake to progress on the path to accession.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and EU enlargement commissioner Oliver Varhelyi called Wednesday's vote “very worrying”.

“A final adoption of this legislation would have negative consequences” regarding Georgia's European ambitions, they said, considering that such a law was “not aligned” with EU values.

Washington has expressed similar concerns.

– “Transparency” –

The Georgian government assures that the text aims only at more “transparency” in the financing of organizations.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, at the origin of the bill, accused some civil society groups of trying to involve Georgia in the war in Ukraine and of wanting to start a revolution.

Demonstration against the draft law on foreign influence, in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi, April 17, 2024 in Georgia © AFP – Giorgi ARJEVANIDZE

“Forward, with dignity, towards Europe!”, he said, while ensuring that Western leaders criticize this text without putting forward any arguments.

Despite declarations hostile to the West, Irakli Kobakhidzé said that membership in NATO and the European Union would be his priority.

Legislative elections, seen as a test, are planned in the country in October.

For her part, President Zourabichvili considered that the measure went against ” the will of the population. “This is a direct provocation, a Russian strategy of destabilization,” she said.

On Monday, deputies from the government and the opposition came to blows during an exchange on the text, causing a fight in the hemicycle.

A first version of this bill had was abandoned in March 2023 after massive protests which were dispersed by the police.

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