Around 50,000 people marched peacefully in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi to protest against a proposed “foreign agents” bill that would require organizations receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence, Reuters reports.
Protesters, waving Georgian, European Union, and Ukrainian flags, notably included both younger and older citizens. They emphasized their desire to align with European values and rejected any Russian influence. Many see the bill as a threat to freedom of speech and fear it could lead to increased government control over civil society organizations.
The bill has sparked a political crisis, with the ruling Georgian Dream party arguing that the bill promotes transparency and national sovereignty. Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party, asserts that the law is necessary to prevent Western interference and safeguard Georgia’s interests. However, the opposition views the bill as a threat to democracy and has dubbed it “the Russian law,” drawing parallels to legislation utilized by the Kremlin to silence dissent.
The US expressed deep concern over the bill, with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan stating that Georgia must choose between the “Kremlin-style” law and its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The EU has cautioned that passing the bill could hinder Georgia’s further integration into European institutions.
