On Monday, tensions reached a boiling point in the Georgian parliament as lawmakers from opposing parties engaged in physical altercations. The catalyst for this heated confrontation was the ruling party’s determination to push forward a highly contentious bill concerning the labeling of organizations as “foreign agents.” This proposed legislation has drawn sharp criticism from Western nations and has been met with widespread protests within Georgia itself. The bill’s advancement has fueled concerns about potential infringements on civil liberties and democratic principles, prompting passionate debate both within the parliament and among the public. The scenes of chaos and violence within the parliamentary chambers underscore the deep divisions and political turmoil surrounding this controversial issue, raising questions about the future direction of Georgia’s governance and its relationship with the international community.
The incident prompted a wider brawl between several lawmakers, an occasional occurrence in Georgia’s often raucous parliament. Footage showed Elisashvili being greeted with cheers by protesters outside the parliament building.
Georgian Dream said earlier this month it would reintroduce legislation requiring organizations that accept funds from abroad to register as foreign agents or face fines, 13 months after protests forced it to shelve the plan.The bill has strained relations with European countries and the United States, who have said they oppose its passage. The European Union, which gave Georgia candidate status in December, has said the move is incompatible with the bloc’s values.
Georgia’s government said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a meeting on Monday with the EU, British and US ambassadors at which they had discussed the bill.In a statement, Kobakhidze defended the draft law as promoting accountability, and said it was “not clear” why Western countries opposed it.Georgian critics have labeled the bill “the Russian law”, comparing it to similar legislation used by the Kremlin to crack down on dissent in Russia.
