The initiative requires organizations with more than 20% of their funding from abroad to acknowledge that they are “protecting the interests of a foreign government.”
Residents of Tbilisi on Tuesday evening, April 9, started a rally against the scandalous law on “foreign agents” initiated by the leading party Georgian dream. Its approval is fraught with conflict between Georgia and the EU. This was reported by the Georgian project SOVA.
Protesters announced plans to march from Republic Square to the Parliament building. They unfurled flags of Georgia and the European Union and posters reading “No to the Russian law,” referring to the bill On the transparency of foreign influencewhich is called “Russian” because of its imitation of Russian law.
Rally organizers plan to publish an action plan to fight last year’s law Georgian dream withdrew after mass protests. Local media are reporting a large-scale mobilization of law enforcement under government administration.
The proposed bill would require civil society organizations that receive more than 20% of their annual funding from sources outside of Georgia to publicly declare that they are “concerned with the interests of a foreign state.”
They will be required to register as foreign agents and will be subject to additional reporting requirements. Organizations that fail to do so may be fined.
The march takes place on Georgia’s National Unity Day. On the night of April 9, 1989, the Soviet army, using tanks, sapper blades and poison gas, dispersed a peaceful demonstration in Tbilisi for the independence of Georgia. Then 21 people died. Hundreds were poisoned or injured. On the same day in 1991, a referendum was held in Georgia, with the majority of participants in favor of independence.
Huge turnout at #NotoRussianLaw rally in Tbilisi today pic.twitter.com/UmdDZErHpl
— Giorgi Kandelaki (@kandelakigiorgi) April 9, 2024
We remind you that a pro-Kremlin party has been liquidated in Georgia Conservative movement its founder is a pro-Russian information portal Alt-Info.
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.