Protests in Georgia: Criticism of the planned “agent law”

The “agent law” is causing serious protests in Georgia. It aims to limit foreign influence on media and organizations. If it comes into force, it could jeopardize Georgia’s accession to the EU.

A spontaneous, initially peaceful demonstration, around 3,000 participants, later an attempt to storm the parliament building, tear gas, water cannons – 50 injured police officers, more than 60 arrests were reported by the Georgian media this morning.

The trigger for the protest: a law that passed the Georgian parliament yesterday in its first reading. It aims to counteract uncontrolled foreign influence on the mass media and political organizations. If more than 20 percent of the funding comes from abroad, they have to register as so-called foreign agents – the list would then be published.

Did Russia’s law serve as a template?

Critics fear that the Russian law against foreign agents, which has been in force since 2012, served as a blueprint. Since then, it has been tightened several times and is used there to suppress opposition politicians, activists and organizations.

The most prominent opponent of the law is Salome Zurabishvili – directly elected Georgian President since 2018. She released a video from the state visit to New York. “I’ve been saying since day one that I’ll veto it, because I’m only interested in the constitution that I guarantee,” she says. “And that obliges me to do everything to ensure that our country joins the European Union, that we always follow the path to European integration.”

Ruling party leader: It’s all about transparency

A veto by the president could overrule the longtime governing party “Georgian Dream” with its absolute majority in the Georgian parliament. Party leader Irakli Kobachidze commented on the violent protests against the proposed law: It’s really all about transparency, the public should know who is financing extremist organizations in Georgia.

And behind the draft is not the Russian law against foreign agents, but a US law, the “Foreign Agents Registration Act” passed in 1938, which was initially directed against propagandists of Hitler’s Germany.

Borrell: Law jeopardizes EU accession

The US embassy in Georgia also joined in the massive criticism of the current legislative proposal. The day of the first reading was a gloomy day for Georgian democracy. If the Georgian government sticks to the plan, it will damage its relations with its strategic partners. The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, also warned that the law was “incompatible with the values ​​of the EU” and thus goes against the goal of joining the EU.

law temporarily suspended

Today the leader of the ruling party in Georgia announced a temporary stop signal. The law will not be dealt with further for the time being, but has been sent to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe for review. The Venice Commission is a body that advises states on constitutional issues.

An expert opinion should be available in about three months – until then the Georgian parliament will not deal with the controversial “agent law” any further. Nevertheless, further protests have been announced for today in Tbilisi.