President of Georgia promises to veto law on tents

Veto of the law on tents

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said that she would veto the law “On Assemblies and Manifestations”.

“The frivolous and cynical statements of the parliamentary majority are disrespectful to society.

The President of Georgia recalled that as early as June 22, 2022, she declared that she would use the right of veto against any laws that contradict the democratic construction of the country and the spirit of the EU recommendations. Accordingly, the President will veto the law “On Assemblies and Manifestations”, which restricts the freedom of assembly and expression,” Salome Zurabishvili wrote.

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On October 5, parliament adopted amendments to the law on meetings and demonstrations in the third reading.

According to the bill, participants in rallies or demonstrations are prohibited from putting up a temporary structure if it poses a threat to the participants in the rally or demonstration or other persons, hinders the police in protecting public order and security, causes disruption of the normal functioning of an enterprise, institution or organization, or hinders the holding of the rally and demonstration.

Deputies of the ruling Georgian Dream party say that the need for change was caused by a statement circulated by the Georgian State Security Service on September 18, according to which “the country wants to repeat the Ukrainian Euromaidan scenario and forcibly change the government in October-December”.