Georgia adopts ‘foreign influence’ law despite mass protests, president’s veto
- Georgia bill has been compared to Russian legislation used to suppress dissent
- It has drawn opposition from Western governments including the United States
Thousands of Georgians rallied Tuesday outside parliament after ruling party MPs adopted a divisive “foreign influence” law, overcoming a presidential veto on the bill despite Western warnings the move could jeopardise the country’s path to the European Union.
The law, which critics have compared to repressive Russian legislation used to silence dissent, forces groups receiving at least 20 per cent of funding from abroad to register as “organisations pursuing the interests of a foreign power”.
The proposal has drawn fierce opposition from Western governments including the United States, which said the measure risked “stifling” freedom of expression in the Black Sea Caucasus nation.
Brussels warned the measure was “incompatible” with the ex-Soviet republic’s longstanding bid for EU membership, which is enshrined in the country’s constitution and supported - according to opinion polls - by more than 80 per cent of the population.
Lawmakers voted 84 to 4 to pass the bill on Tuesday, after overriding pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili’s veto.
