Georgian PM says “level of violence” from protesters against bill on transparency of foreign influence “significantly reduced”
Responding to a question about alleged use of violence by the police, the official said “all decisions” would be “made in accordance with legal standards”, and noted assessment of the alleged offences was “not the mandate of the Government” and would instead be determined by “relevant structures”. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said the “level of violence” from protesters against the domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence had been “significantly reduced”.
Kobakhidze said “briefings, warnings and appeals” made on Sunday had “played a role in this processes” and once again called on protesters to “refrain from violence and other illegal actions”.
He also thanked the country’s law enforcement for “responding to violence and illegal actions of protesters during the rallies with an essentially higher standard than the American and European standards”.
I can show you videos of what is happening in New York, Rotterdam, Berlin or Paris. The American standard is lower than this - we want a higher standard than the American and European ones”, he claimed.
The PM noted “several incidents” had been recorded at a rally earlier on Monday, claiming the law enforcement’s response had been “fully in line with the American and European standards of response to violence”, it “did not reach the standards established by the ruling Georgian Dream party in Georgia after 2012”.
Responding to a question about alleged use of violence by the police, the official said “all decisions” would be “made in accordance with legal standards”, and noted assessment of the alleged offences was “not the mandate of the Government” and would instead be determined by “relevant structures”.
The Interior Ministry on Monday said 20 people were arrested by law enforcement at the protest on earlier Monday.
The Legal Affairs Committee of the Georgian Parliament on Monday approved the bill on transparency of foreign influence, reintroduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party against public protests, in its third hearing.
The bill 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.