Georgia rocked by clashes over ‘foreign agent’ bill

Riot police in Georgia fired tear gas and water cannon into crowds protesting against a bill seen by the opposition as targeting media freedoms.

Thousands waving Georgian and European Union flags gathered outside parliament for a second night to protest what they see as a Russian-inspired law.

MPs approved the second reading of the controversial “foreign agent” bill on Wednesday.

The EU warns it could harm Tbilisi’s ambitions of joining the bloc.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday she was following events in Georgia with “great concern”. “The Georgian people want a European future for their country. Georgia is at a crossroads. It should stay the course on the road to Europe,” she posted on X.

Protesters fear that the proposed foreign influence bill could be used to crush critical voices ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.

Opponents say the measures are inspired by authoritarian legislation that neighbouring Russia uses to crush dissent. The billionaire founder of the governing Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, claimed this week that a Western “global war” party was using the country as part of its confrontation with Russia.

A similar authoritarian law that came into force in Russia in 2012 has since been used to marginalise voices challenging the Kremlin – including prominent cultural figures, media organisations and civil society groups.

The bill cleared its second reading with a vote of 83 to 23. After a third reading it has to be signed off by President Salome Zurabishvili, who has vowed to veto the bill, although Georgian Dream has sufficient numbers in parliament to overrule her.

The governing party wants the law enacted by the end of the month. Once that happens, organisations would be required to state whether they are funded from abroad.

Georgia has been rocked by weeks of protests over the issue. On Tuesday night, there were similar clashes between police and protesters on Rustaveli Avenue, outside parliament.

Several people were injured, including Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the main opposition party United National Movement (UNM). He posted a picture of his bruised face on social media and later appeared in parliament, his face heavily bandaged.

Eyewitnesses accused some police officers of physically attacking protesters and EU foreign police chief Josep Borrell said he strongly condemned violence against Georgians “who were peacefully demonstrating against the law on foreign influence”.

Deputy interior minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said six officers were hurt and 63 people arrested and he complained that “the rally turned completely violent”. He said Mr Khabeishvili had been hurt while trying to break through a police cordon, although his party said he had been beaten by police.

Georgia was granted EU candidate status last December and polls suggest about 80% of the population is in favour of joining.

Protests against the bill began in mid-April, with many Georgians fearing the government’s measures would derail Georgia from its path towards membership, says the BBC’s South Caucasus correspondent, Rayhan Demytrie.

Under the proposals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and independent media would be required to register as organisations “bearing the interests of a foreign power”, if they receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign donors.

They would also be monitored by Georgia’s justice ministry and could be forced to share sensitive information – or face hefty fines of up to 25,000 Georgian lari ($9,400; £7,500).

A number of European leaders have warned the proposed bill is “incompatible” with European norms and values.

But the government of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze is standing firm.

Mr Kobakhidze has accused NGOs of attempting to stage revolutions in Georgia twice, of promoting “gay propaganda” and of attacking the Georgian Orthodox Church.

The government insists the bill is about ensuring transparency and rejects the notion that it is against European values – or that Russia is behind the legislation.

On Monday, Bidzina Ivanishvili told a rally of Georgian Dream supporters that foreign-funded NGOs threatened Georgian sovereignty and that the opposition UNM would be punished for crimes against the state after this year’s elections.

President Zourabichvili, whose role is largely ceremonial, described the pro-government rally as a “Putin-type” event.

Ms Zourabichvili, who is strongly opposed to the foreign influence bill, has appealed to the interior ministry to stop using “disproportionate force” against protesters.