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Despite massive protests, Georgia’s parliament on Friday withdrew plans to classify foreign media and organizations as “agents”. According to media reports, the Chamber of Deputies in Tbilisi has rejected the controversial law at second reading.
At the same time, another gathering of pro-European demonstrators took place in front of the parliament building. Meanwhile, criticism of the Georgian leadership’s withdrawal came from Moscow. The bill was reminiscent of a Russian model. There have been protests against this for days.
The protests continue
The ruling party, the Georgian Dream, announced on Thursday that it would withdraw the draft. The triggers were protests with tens of thousands of participants, which continued even after the ruling party withdrew and arrested protesters were released. Numerous critics took to the streets again on Thursday evening.
In the second reading, 35 MPs voted against the law, with only one yes vote. Many MPs from the ruling party who voted in favor of the law a few days ago stayed away.
The Speaker of the Russian Parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, criticized the repeal of the law. “By not discussing it in parliament, Georgia has missed its chance for sovereignty,” Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel. Volodin accused the US of being behind the protests.
The law based on the Russian model
In Russia, numerous independent media outlets – as well as non-governmental organizations and individuals – have been labeled ‘foreign agents’. The ordinance has been criticized internationally as a politically motivated measure to stigmatize and silence Kremlin critics.
Particularly since the start of the offensive war against Ukraine, which President Vladimir Putin ordered more than a year ago, Russia has been campaigning massively against dissidents at home.
“Georgian Dream” paves the way to authoritarianism
Volodin nevertheless argued that Russian law is much more liberal than one that has governed control of foreign-funded organizations in the US since 1938. Critics in Tbilisi drew parallels between the Russian law and the Georgian design.
They accused the government of the relatively pro-Russian Georgian Dream Party of paving the way for authoritarianism. They also saw the EU prospects of the former Soviet republic in jeopardy.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
