The street has won a battle. As urged by demonstrators gathered in Tbilisi, Georgian President Salomé Zourabichvili announced she would veto the “Russian law” on foreign influence. “Today, I am vetoing (…) the law which is Russian in its essence and which contradicts our Constitution,” declared Salomé Zourabichvili, while the text adopted this week by Parliament is denounced by its detractors as aiming to divert Georgia from Europe and drag it towards Russia.
However, this is a highly symbolic veto from the pro-European president, in open conflict with the government, because the ruling Georgian Dream party, at the origin of the law, claims to have enough votes in Parliament to pass besides. Adopted on Tuesday by Parliament, the text is denounced by its detractors as aiming to divert Georgia from Europe and drag it towards Russia.
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It sparked mass protests that have lasted for more than a month in Georgia, with thousands of people, mostly young people, taking to the streets in protest. NATO, the European Commission and the UN have condemned this initiative by the Georgian government.
The law requires any NGO or media outlet receiving more than 20% of its funding from abroad to register as an “organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power” and to submit to administrative oversight. Critics have dubbed it “Russian law” because of its similarity to legislation passed in Russia to suppress opposition.
President Zurabichvili proposed amendments to the bill but warned against any “artificial” negotiations. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidzé, for his part, said he was ready to discuss possible changes.