‘Foreign influence’ law obstacle to Georgia joining the EU, says official | DW News

tens of thousands of people have returned to the streets of the Georgian Capital to protest against a controversial foreign agents law demonstrators blocked streets intoy a day after Parliament approved a second reading of the bill it requires organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence our opponents say it’s similar to a law used in Russia to silence government critics the un’s human rights Chief has urged Georgian lawmakers to withdraw the legislation well our correspondent Bia katam Madza is in toi and described the scene in the Georgian Capital well we are currently actually at the Freedom Square uh in the capital city fi where the protesters are blocking uh the streets they block the main road which is essentially connecting various districts of the city leaving the capital uh City paralyzed uh we’ve seen some detention by the police however there is no riot police with water cannon on side where we are standing now we can see that the protesters are are very angry they say that they’re going to protest until the government withdraws with withdraws the the the law uh however the bill sorry but the the government says that doesn’t show any sign of uh um of considering doing it so the protesters tell me that the extremely disappointed with the uh actions of their government uh which they say will derail them from EU path and and why are protesters so opposed to this law Maria because most of them see it as a Russian law uh they are chanting now I’m not sure you can hear it now but they’re chanting no to Russian law what that’s what they’ve been uh telling me also in private ation they was they were telling me that they do not want to go back to Russia they want to be part of Europe and they see the bill as a threat to their freedom to their democracy uh and especially given the comments that uh uh they hearing from the Western Partners they’re very very uh concerned that uh there uh could be uh that the government is actually stealing away from them their European perspective tell us more than about the ruling party that sponsored this bill whom critics accuse of being pro- Russia is that really the [Music] case uh we should look closer at the founder of the ruling party B who is the richest man in Georgia he amassed his uh fortune in Russia in ’90s and is believed to be pulling uh the strings behind uh behind the curtains here uh what’s interesting is uh uh for us at this moment is to look closer also at his speech um he said that the West essentially is responsible for the War uh in Ukraine and for the war between Russia and Georgia in 2008 so uh he chastised the West he said that the NOS that Brussels and Washington are fing here in Georgia they’re preparing their Revolution here in Georgia so uh this politician who is actually he doesn’t have any formal position in the Georgian government but he’s very very powerful man that protesters say he’s responsible for the bill and for the backsliding from democracy in Georgia and we’ we’ve heard from the EU that this bill would become an obstacle to EU membership for for Georgia does this government care briefly if you wouldn’t mind it doesn’t seem that it cares actually uh as as I said there is a rising anti-western rhetoric in general uh so um the international pressure is there the West has condemned uh the uh the so-called foreign agent Bill and urged the government to drop it but the government doesn’t as I said doesn’t show any sign of uh intending to do so thank you for that Maria katam matza into bissy

Tens of thousands of people have returned to the streets of the Georgian capital, to protest against a controversial ‘foreign agents’ law.

Demonstrators blocked streets in Tblisi, a day after parliament approved a second reading of the bill. It requires organizations receiving more than 20% of funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence. Opponents say it’s similar to a law used in Russia to silence government critics. The UN’s human rights chief has urged Georgian lawmakers to withdraw the legislation.

DW correspondent Maria Katamadze in Tbilisi described the scene in the Georgian capital.

00:00 Georgians rally against ‘foreign influence’ bill
00:41 DW correspondent Maria Katamadze in Tbilisi

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27 comments

  4. Russia should be worried by the passage of this bill as it disallows foreign interference in georgian affairs…but surprisingly russia supports the bill and instead it's the EU that's against it …..

  6. It's funny that the Foreign Agents Act is an American law. Several Trump associates in the United States have been charged with unregistered lobbying of foreign governments and accepting money from them.

  7. Problem with small countries is that they have options of only being someone toy. Russia or europe. People dont see option being independent

  9. Notice that there is no counter protest going on. Really goes to show that this law has nothing to do with Georgia's national interests.

  12. These wars are sooooo sooooo evil. It’s not what it looks like at all!!! Very evil very corrupt secret agendas are being rolled out!

  13. Oh no, the politician is expressing the Major Power Politics, he is pointing in the right direction. Even the most prominent Academics from the West have accused their governments for basically instigating both wars. Pushing Russia to strike back. While the West is framing this situation that the countries strive for democracy and joining the West. Everything is for spreading democracy the Cause justify the Means. The involvement of NGOs is wrong, they are manipulating the Country. Of course, Russia doesn't have the right either to innerving or dictate Georgia foreign policy.

  16. I don't get it, this seems like the kind of law you would make to prevent Russia from influencing elections. Why does the West have a problem with transparent funding? Would you not like to know if a politician is on Gazprom's payroll?

  18. The fact that these agitators are calling this a Russian Law just shows who is behind all this, because it isn’t a Russian Law it’s a law active in many countries.

  20. Hypocrisy by the EU – The USA and the EU countries have similar laws. It is in the best interest of Georgia to know which foreign countries (if any) are influencing the NGOs. Why are those NGO against, unless they have something to hide ?

  24. usa destabalising georgia. like they did with the coup in ukraine in 2014. now dw push all those talking point. dw news is here to misinform and propagandise you the viewer.

  27. I even agree with Georgia, as non-governmental organizations are often financed by the EU. some, such as the Red Cross and Caritas, are good; others, such as Amnesty International or the Open Society Foundation, are questionable and politically motivated. most politically motivated should not be funded by a country or a federation like the EU!

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