Georgian Parliament approved the "foreign agents bill" in the third and final reading

Georgian “Foreign agents bill” approved

On May 14th, the Georgian Parliament approved the “foreign agents bill” amidst protests, criticism from the opposition, and condemnation from the West. The third hearing in Parliament lasted for several minutes.

Parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili asked if anyone had any objections or amendments to the draft law, after which he put the question to a vote.

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In the parliamentary chamber, opposition MPs vocally opposed the so-called Russian law, shouting “No to the Russian law.” Several brandished EU flags.

Meanwhile, outside the parliament building, where crowds had gathered since morning, chants of “No to Russian law” and “Slaves” echoed alongside the blare of whistles.

Amidst this backdrop, the third reading of the draft law took place, coinciding with the visit of European politicians and James O’Brien, the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and the coordinator for US sanctions policy.

Georgia's Parliament is debating the "foreign agents law," risking its European future. Explainer

A key difference of this law from similar ones in the West is that there, the targeted countries are explicitly named

According to this bill, non-governmental organizations and media outlets that receive more than 20 percent of their annual income from foreign funding will be required to register as “foreign agents.”

They will also be obligated to submit annual reports. Those attempting to evade registration will face fines.

The opposition and civil society believe that this law aims to suppress critical voices within the country and eliminate government critics.

Before the law was voted on, deputies in parliament made political statements. Noise had been present in the hall since morning, and the situation escalated into physical altercations several times.

Simultaneously, a massive rally has been taking place outside the parliament building since morning. A large number of police and special forces have been deployed near the Parliament and in the surrounding area since morning.

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Internet media were unable to attend the parliament session. A yellow security alert was specifically declared for these hearings in parliament to prevent media representatives from entering the session hall.

Procedurally, the bill must now be sent for the president of Georgia’s signature. The president has already stated that she will veto the bill.

However, the ruling party “Georgian Dream” has enough votes to override the veto.

The ruling party “Georgian Dream” first introduced the “Foreign Agents” bill a year ago, in March 2023. Parliament passed it on the first reading, but due to mass citizen protests and sharp criticism from the West, the government withdrew the bill.

On April 3, 2024, the ruling party decided to reintroduce the bill in parliament. The content remained the same, but this time it was renamed the “Transparency of Foreign Influence Law.”

This year, the reintroduction of the bill was accompanied by even larger protests. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in protest.

Georgia’s Western partners strongly criticize the bill and openly warn the authorities that its passage will create serious problems for Georgia’s integration into Europe.

Nevertheless, parliament passed the “Russian law” on April 17 in the first reading, on May 1 in the second reading, and today, May 14, in the third reading.