Georgian Parliament Speaker calls on protesters to remain within peaceful assembly
In an interview with Imedi channel, Papuashvili noted that the “radical opposition has been trying to aggravate” the situation “in every possible way” with their statements and plans, and to lead the citizens to violate the law. Photo via Shalva Papuashvili/Facebook
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday called on citizens currently gathered in front of the Parliament building, who are protesting the approval of the transparency bill by the legislative body on Tuesday, to "remain within the legal framework of peaceful assembly".
In an interview with Imedi channel, Papuashvili noted that the “radical opposition has been trying to aggravate” the situation “in every possible way” with their statements and plans, and to lead the citizens to violate the law.
The participants of the rally recently broke the windows of the legislative body and removed the barriers, throwing rocks at law enforcement officers, after which the police used a water cannon against them and dispersed the rally, the Public Broadcaster said.
Photo via Interpressnews
Giorgi Vashadze, the Chair of the Strategy Agmashenebeli opposition party earlier tonight called on the participants of the rally to besiege the Parliament building.
In its statement, the Internal Ministry announced its forces were mobilised to ensure the public order and called on the protesters, organisers of the rally and political leaders “not to go beyond the limits” of the law on freedom of assembly and expression.
The local news agency earlier on Wednesday announced that the first hearing of the draft law on Registration of Foreign Agents, scheduled for Thursday, would no longer be discussed at the plenary session of the Parliament.
Giorgi Vashadze, the Chair of the Strategy Agmashenebeli opposition party, called on the participants of the rally to besiege the Parliament building, who have been gathered to protest the adoption of the bill on transparency of foreign influence by the legislative body at the first hearing, the Public Broadcaster said on Wednesday.
The Georgian police detained ten more people for disobedience to law enforcement during a protest outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi after the legislative body gave its initial backing to a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence in its first reading, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
The first hearing of the draft law on Registration of Foreign Agents, scheduled for tomorrow, will no longer be discussed at the plenary session of the Parliament, the local news agency Interpressnews said on Wednesday.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday published the letter sent by the official to Bazy Malaurie, the President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, for requesting the body’s opinion on the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence that has met by a backlash in Georgia.
Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli opposition party, on Wednesday called on the participants of the rally to besiege the Parliament building.
The ruling Georgian Dream party on Thursday said it was “unconditionally” withdrawing the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence that was met by a backlash by domestic opposition, civil sector and diplomatic representations in the country, citing the interest of maintaining domestic “tranquillity”, the country’s development and its European integration aspirations as factors behind the decision.
Georgian police arrested 133 individuals during protests outside the Parliament in central Tbilisi on Tuesday and Wednesday against the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced on Thursday.
Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Policy, on Thursday welcomed the decision of the ruling Georgian Dream party to withdraw the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Saturday said the individuals protesting outside the Parliament building against the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence - whether urged by opposition or not - had taken “completely unusual steps”.
Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri on Friday said March protests in Tbilisi against the Bill on Transparency of Foreign Influence had “turned into violence” despite “numerous calls” from his office to protesters to act peacefully.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday thanked the country’s Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and the police for “protecting the legislative body and maintaining public order” during March protests in Tbilisi against the bill on transparency of foreign influence.