Protesters march against controversial transparency bill on Europe Day in Tbilisi

Citizens, domestic opposition parties and non-governmental organisations on Saturday marched from three different locations to Europe Square protesting the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence along Europe Day celebrations in Tbilisi.

The rally’s organisers announced an overnight stay outside the Parliament building on Sunday night not to allow the MPs to enter the legislative body and discuss the transparency bill in the third reading at the Legal Issues Committee on Monday.

The legislative piece, that 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, has sparked public protests and criticism by some of the country’s foreign partners.