Rally protesting controversial bill on transparency of foreign funding ongoing in Tbilisi
The public has been protesting the bill, which calls for the 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, for the third day. Photo via IPN
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Domestic opposition parties, non-governmental organisations, media outlets and citizens on Wednesday gathered outside the Parliament building in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi to protest the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, with the legislative body approving the first reading of the draft law earlier today.
The public has been protesting the bill, which calls for the 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, for the third day.
The bill has been reintroduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party after its retraction following protests last year, and has been met with criticism from the opposition, the domestic NGO sector and a part of Georgia’s foreign partner states and diplomatic representations.
Besides Tbilisi, the protest includes rallies in several other cities.
The Georgian Parliament on Wednesday approved the first reading of the bill on the transparency of foreign influence that has sparked public protests and criticism by some of the country’s foreign partners.
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Olivér Várhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, on Wednesday evaluated the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence and said its final adoption would “negatively impact” Georgia’s progress on its EU path.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday claimed “no arguments” had been given by officials from the United States and European states in their criticism of the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence, which has sparked protests in the country following its reintroduction by the ruling party this month.
Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday said violence was “unacceptable” in comments on the ongoing public protests against the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence.