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Georgian Parliament Passes Controversial 'Foreign Agents' Bill Amid Brawl, US Anger, and Protests

May 14, 2024, 12:40 PM

The Georgian Parliament has passed a controversial 'foreign agents' bill on Tuesday, despite mass protests in the capital, Tbilisi. The bill, which has been compared to Russian legislation, requires media and nongovernmental organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. The passage of the bill has sparked widespread demonstrations, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets to denounce the measure as an effort to stifle free speech and limit democratic freedoms. During the parliamentary debate, a brawl broke out between ruling party MPs and opposition members, leading to the interruption of the session. The bill was passed in its third and final reading by a vote of 84 to 30. Critics fear the law could push Georgia further into Moscow’s orbit and undermine its aspirations to join the European Union. Georgia's president is expected to veto the bill, but parliament retains the option to override the veto with an additional vote. The bill’s passage has also prompted US anger and clashes between protesters and police outside the parliament.