Around 50,000 individuals protested in the Georgian capital, voicing their objection to a bill concerning ‘foreign agents’, despite the relentless downpour last Saturday. This took place following a statement from the US explaining that Georgia needs to choose between adopting the legislation reminiscent of the Kremlin or uphold the Georgian inhabitants’ aspirations towards Euro-Atlantic alliances.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, expressed his grave concern over the deterioration of democracy in Georgia on X. He emphasised the crucial decision the Georgian Parliament has to make – either to back the citizens’ Euro-Atlantic wishes or endorse the Kremlin-esque ‘foreign agents’ legislation challenging democratic principles. He declared the US’s solidarity with the Georgian people.
The controversial bill mandates that any organisation deriving over a fifth of their funding internationally should register as foreign influence agents, leading to a cascade of political turmoil in Georgia, resulting in thousands protesting on the streets demanding the bill’s withdrawal.
The demonstration last Saturday saw protestors, including an increasing portion of elderly individuals along with the usual youthful population, waving Georgian, EU and some Ukrainian flags. The three columns of protestors converged in the city centre, causing significant disruptions to city traffic and filling the cobblestoned heart of Tbilisi’s old town.
A protestor named Nino insisted that the government must listen to Georgia’s free people. She passionately declared her aspirations for Georgia to join the European Union remaining a dignified, proud nation.
Anuki, a young acting student, asserted her generation’s accountability to ensure their and future generations’ safety, freedom of expression and general freedom. Strikingly, she emphasised their unwavering desire to never be part of Russia, instead focusing on their ongoing aim to integrate into Europe.
The Georgian Parliament, led by the reigning party ‘Georgian Dream’ and its allies, is set to start committee discussions on the bill’s final reading on Monday. In response, opposition groups have been rallying for another series of protests starting from Saturday.
This ongoing crisis has presented a standoff between the ruling party ‘Georgian Dream’ and a coalition of opposition parties, civil society, celebrities and the nation’s titular president. This has resulted in mass demonstrations across Tbilisi, virtually halting the city centre for over a month.
Critics in Georgia have labelled a contested Bill as “the Russian law”, drawing parallels to laws applied to silence dissenters of Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin. The proposal has attracted concern from the European Union, which previously offered Georgia candidacy in December, warning that its enactment could jeopardise continued integration.
The Georgian Dream, the party championing the Bill, argue its necessity for upholding transparency and Georgian national sovereignty. Bidzina Ivanishvili, its founder, insists that the legislation is essential to deter the West from making Georgians a sacrificial pawn in any standoff with Russia.
However, Mr Sullivan contends that the Georgian Dream seems intent on severing ties with the West, a stance contradicting both the nation’s traditional inclination towards aligning with the European Union and the US-backed Nato military partnership. He opined, “The recent rhetoric, suggested legislative amendments, and deeds of Georgian Dream run counter to the desires of Georgian citizens and appear to be a ploy to alienate Georgians from the United States and Europe.” (courtesy of Reuters).
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