Georgia rocked by clashes over ‘foreign agent’ bill

Police used tear gas and water cannon and a number of people were hurt in central Tbilisi – DAVID MDZINARISHVILI/EPA-EFE/RE

Riot police in Georgia fired tear gas and water cannon into crowds protesting against a bill seen by the opposition as targeting media freedoms.

Thousands waving Georgian and European Union flags gathered outside parliament for a second night to protest what they see as a Russian-inspired law.

MPs approved the second reading of the controversial “foreign agent” bill on Wednesday.

The EU warns it could harm Tbilisi’s ambitions of joining the bloc.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday she was following events in Georgia with “great concern”.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, she added: “The Georgian people want a European future for their country. Georgia is at a crossroads. It should stay the course on the road to Europe.”

The bill cleared its second reading with a vote of 83 to 23. If it becomes law, organisations would be required to state whether they were funded from abroad.

Georgia’s governing party wants it enacted by the end of the month, but critics say it is authoritarian.

The country has been rocked by weeks of protests over the issue. On Tuesday night, there were similar clashes between police and protesters on Rustaveli Avenue, outside parliament.

Several people were injured, including Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the main opposition party United National Movement (UNM). He posted a picture of his bruised face on social media and later appeared in parliament, his face heavily bandaged.

Levan Khabeishvili was left beaten and bruised on Tuesday night and hours later appeared in parliament

Eyewitnesses accused some police officers of physically attacking protesters and EU foreign police chief Josep Borrell said he strongly condemned violence against Georgians “who were peacefully demonstrating against the law on foreign influence”.

Deputy interior minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said six officers were hurt and 63 people arrested and he complained that “the rally turned completely violent”. He said Mr Khabeishvili had been hurt while trying to break through a police cordon, although his party said he had been beaten by police.

Georgia was granted EU candidate status last December and polls suggest about 80% of the population is in favour of joining.

Protests against the bill began in mid-April, after the ruling Georgian Dream party proposed measures requiring non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and independent media to register as organisations “bearing the interests of a foreign power”, if they receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign donors.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68933064

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