Transparency of foreign funding bill sparks public protest in Tbilisi

The Georgian Parliament’s discussion of the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence has sparked public protests outside the legislative body in Tbilisi on Monday, with domestic opposition parties, non-governmental organisations, media outlets and citizens involved in a rally.

The protest comes against the legislative initiative which calls for registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.

The bill has been reintroduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party after its retraction following protests last year, and has been met by criticism from the opposition, the domestic NGO sector and a part of Georgia’s foreign partner states and diplomatic representations.

Beside the Tbilisi rally, the protest includes action in several other cities, as the Parliament’s Committee on Legal Issues started heated deliberations on the draft law. Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling party in the Parliament, was physically assaulted by Aleko Elisashvili, the leader of the Citizens opposition party, during the arguments.

The country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs on Monday said law enforcement officers were mobilised outside the Parliament to “protect public order”, and called on organisers and participants of the rally to “not exceed norms established by the law on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly”.

The Ministry said “any violation” of the law would be “immediately prevented” by the police during protests.