Georgia withdraws proposed ‘foreign agents’ law after days of protests
- Proposed ‘foreign agent’ legislation sparked large-scale protests in the ex-Soviet nation of Georgia
- Draft law appeared to be inspired by a similar Russian law and potentially represented an authoritarian shift
Georgia’s ruling party said Thursday it is withdrawing a draft law from the parliament criticised as potentially stifling media freedom and civil society, after several days of massive protests against it in the capital.
The Georgian Dream party and its allies said they were withdrawing the proposed law, citing “controversy in society” it triggered.
The bill would have required media and non-governmental organisations that receive over 20 per cent of their funding from foreign sources to register as “agents of foreign influence”.
The move comes after several days of mass protests in the country’s capital, Tbilisi. The demonstrations culminated on Wednesday night, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets in the city centre.
Police brutally dispersed the rally, using water cannons and tear gas, and 133 protesters have been arrested, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.
Lawmakers said in a statement on Thursday morning that “consultations were held between the political council of Georgian Dream, People’s Force and deputies of the parliamentary majority” and they acknowledged that the bill, which passed its first reading earlier this week, “has caused controversy in society”.
