The Georgian Parliament said it would withdraw the draft law on the “influence of foreign agents”mainly designed to limit the activities of media and civil society organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
The demonstrations will continue in the capital despite the government’s stance, since a new vote against is required in Parliament’s second reading to proceed with the effective withdrawal of the bill. The demonstrators are asking to vote and immediately reject the law, with the contextual one release of the 200 arrested activists during the two days of protests.
The decision to suspend the draft law follows a two nights of clashes in Tbilisi, where thousands of protesters calling for the law to be revoked had gathered in front of Parliament. According to the report provided by the Ministry of the Interior, the police arrested 133 people while dozens of agents and civilians were injured.
The reactions from the EU to Zelensky
The European Union immediately reacted to the ruling party’s decision: “We welcome the ruling party’s announcement to withdraw the draft law ‘on foreign influence’. We encourage all Georgian political leaders to resume pro-EU reformsinclusively and constructively and in line with Georgia’s 12 priorities to achieve candidate status,” the European Union Representation in Georgia wrote on Twitter.
We welcome announcement by the ruling party to withdraw draft legislation on “foreign influence”. We encourage all political leaders in GE 🇬🇪 to resume pro-EU 🇪🇺reforms, in an inclusive & constructive way and in line with the 12 priorities for Georgia to achieve candidate status pic.twitter.com/pKSFIOQv88
— EU Delegation Georgia 🇪🇺 (@EUinGeorgia) March 9, 2023
On Tuesday 8 March, on the field day of protests, the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the European Union, Joseph Borrellstrongly condemned the draft law adopted in the first reading by the Parliament of Tbilisi: “It is a serious step backwards for Georgia and the Georgian people.
The law, in its current form, risks producing a threat to the freedom of expression of civil society and the press, with negative consequences for citizens who benefit from their work. This law is incompatible with European values and standards. It is against the goal set by Georgia to join the European Union, which is also demanded by the large majority of Georgians. Its final approval could have serious repercussions in relations between the EU and Georgia.
The European Union calls on Georgia to support its efforts to promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights and reaffirms the right of people to protest peacefully.”
In response to clashes between protesters and police, the US State Department spokesman Ned Price he stressed the need to respect the freedom to protest peacefully.
In his usual evening address to the nation, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky expressed solidarity with the demonstrators, wishing the Georgian people “democratic success”: “There is no Ukrainian who would not wish success to our friend Georgia. Democratic success. European success”.
Copertina EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE’s photo