Second day of protests against the law on “foreign agents” who are accused of trying to restrict the activities of NGOs and the media. The leader of the opposition United National Movement party has called for daily demonstrations until the law is lifted
Another evening of protestsalways before houses of Parliamentto demonstrate against a law that resistors And Europe aims to limit the activities of Average and some longmodeled after the similar model introduced in 2012 Russia. The so-called “Foreign Agents” rule has once again gained importance Tbilisi thousands of protestersalthough the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidzeindicated that the debate on the measure it will only be resumed in “a few months” when it has obtained the opinion of the Federal Court of Justice Venice Commission of European Council. As was the case last night, the special forces of the Georgian police began to disperse the protesters with water cannons, which threw stones and objects at the windows of the parliament, causing damage.
Were there Tuesday evening violent clashes between the protesting crowd and the police: they were deployed tear gas, water cannon And spray. take the floor Levan KhabeishviliLeader of the Georgian opposition party National Unity Movementappealed to hold daily performances until revocation of legislation and ha burned publicly via the papers on which the legal text was printed. They were arrested during the clashes on Tuesday evening 66 protesters and 50 police officers were injured. The arrested During Tuesday’s protest, Tbilisi TV reported, they will face charges vandalism and from Resistance to the police.
The passage of the law provoked a sharp reaction from Europe, as in March 2022 Georgia presented Inquiry for themembership to the EU. The President of the European Council, Karl MichelleHe said he was “strongly concerned” and wrote on Twitter: “The right to peaceful protest it is at the heart of any democracy. Passing this law on “foreign agents” is incompatible with the path of the EU, which wants a majority in Georgia. commitment to the rule of law and human values fundamental for the EU project”. The Georgian parliament showed “absolutely respect for the European institutions” by sending the law to Commission from Venice of Advise from Europe. “But tell us we can’t don’t even discuss this law is one violation of the Georgian state and society,” replied the leader of the ruling party Georgian dream, Heraklion Kobakhidzequoted by the Russian agency Interfax.
The Foreign Agents Act provides for this non-commercial companies you get over 20% from their own financing from foreign sources are accurately registered as foreign agents, with possible restrictions to their activities. That way, it would be mainly me who would be affected Average: for the resistors the standard is an attempt to set that information stunt. The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvilifrom New York, where she is currently visiting, addressed the protesters and expressed her support: “I am writing to you who represent the Free Georgia. Georgia sees hers future in Europe and she will not allow anyone to take that future away from her,” the President stressed. However, the law will only be discussed again between “some Months‘ Kobakhidze always said as soon as he received the opinion of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.