Protests in Georgia against a law that silences activists and critical media

Opponents of Georgia continued their mobilization against this Wednesday foreign agent account, after more than 60 detainees at dawn during police repression. The law obliges organizations whose more than 20% of funds come from other countries to register as foreign. The opposition sees the shadow of the Kremlin, which since 2012 applies a similar law to create blacklists of NGOs, media and activists.

Already before the adoption of the text on Tuesday in the first reading in the Parliament, hundreds of people took to the streets to protest against what they consider repressive and counterproductive for future accession to the European Union, which Georgia requested after the beginning of the Ukrainian war. The protesters, carrying EU flags, chanted against the Russian president and accused representatives from the ruling Georgian Dream party of “Putin’s slaves”.

After the vote, in the afternoon, the protests intensified and were violently suppressed. The authorities justified the use of tear gas and water cannons by accusing the protesters of “vandalism and disobedience to the security forces”. The MUP assures that more than 50 police officers were injured

According to promoters, the bill is based on US law and seeks to “promote transparency”. Western critics already point out that no matter how harmful the restriction of freedoms can be, it can be an obstacle to joining the EU, for which they are advocating about 80% of Georgians.

Namely, the Government claims that it seeks “depolarization” and pure democracy, but fears that the law will be used against civil organizations that it has already accused of serving foreign interests. They consider that the terminology itself is offensive and 60 media outlets have already declared that they will not register as a “foreign agent”.

From the United States, where the country’s president is on an official visitliberal Salomé Zurabishvilihe assured that he would resort to the presidential veto if the law is approved in Parliament, after stressing that the norm “it was compiled under the dictates of Moscow.”

First Minister, Irakli Garibashvilihe commented that the text is “in accordance with European standards”, but his party, which even defines itself as European, He has already shown that his real priority is to stay in power. Facing elections in 2024, the polarization is only growing.