On Wednesday evening, a mass protest took place in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, attended by any 40,000 people. The demonstration was a consequence to the second reading in Parliament of the bill on abroad agents. According to Reuters agencies, the situation on the streets of Tbilisi rapidly became tense erstwhile police applied teardrop gas and bang grenades to disperse the crowd.
According to the dpa agency, the bill met with the support of 83 deputies, with 23 votes against. The Georgia Parliament has 150 seats, indicating strong support for a controversial task among the ruling majority. Earlier, after first reading on April 18, there were many protests in the country.
#Tbilisi now! demonstration has kicked off, much passion is expected. keep your eyes on #Georgiapic.twitter.com/goIIS4WL1V
— Tornike Mandaria (@Tokmando) May 1, 2024At 1 of the elements to the Parliament of #Georgia in #Tbilisi, a protester tore and trampled the Russian flags pic.twitter.com/BXn638h4H2
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 1, 2024police are inactive inside the parliament as angry crowd gets agrier #tbilisi#georgiapic.twitter.com/91V7En2Ii2
— Tornike Mandaria (@Tokmando) May 1, 2024Incidents and reactions
During the next protest that took place on Tuesday, violent clashes occurred. Police utilized water cannons and gas against the demonstrators. According to the opposition organization of the United National Movement, as a consequence of police intervention, its leader, Levan Chabeishvili, suffered serious injuries, including concussion and facial fractures.
The bill provides that non-governmental organisations and media receiving more than 20% of their backing from abroad sources will gotta registry as “realising the interests of a abroad power”. This solution is akin to what was introduced in Russia in 2012 and was utilized there to repress the opposition.
Mass turnout in #Tbilisi Again. Georgia's way towards Europe is sabotaged by the ruling party's weaponization of Russian abroad agents law to step into Russia-style consolidated authoritarianism, undermining the country's constitution, democracy and its EU integration. pic.twitter.com/hiU6dp2LNh
— Katie Shoshiashvili (@KShoshiashvili) May 1, 2024People Chanting “Sakartvelo” in front of the regiment police. You can see the robocops and the water cannon device in the back. #Tbilisi#NotoRussianLawpic.twitter.com/ply3bWJSjp
— Anna Gvarishvili (@a_gvarishvili) May 1, 2024protests in Georgia. global and Government Responses
Georgia's Prime Minister, Iraq Kobachiga, stressed in his speech that the government is determined to pass the bill despite the protests and negative reactions announced. Meanwhile, representatives of the US, the EU and the UN expressed concern over the reopening of the bill, calling for its withdrawal, especially in the context of Georgia's European aspirations, which in December 2023 received the position of candidate for the European Union.
The bill has yet to go through the 3rd reading to become a law. Meanwhile, the ruling Georgian Dream party, despite early withdrawal from the task after mass protests and calls from Western states, now seems determined to push it, which may lead to further tensions and social unrest in the country.
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