A number of countries were alarmed by the events in Sakartvele

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On Wednesday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets again in Tbilisi to protest against the “foreign influence” law. Nevertheless, the parliament approved the controversial draft law in the second reading. Opponents see it as an instrument to persecute critics.

During the rally, people waved the flags of Sakartvelo and the EU, the national anthem of Sakartvelo and “Ode to joy” sounded.

Police later used pepper and tear gas and water cannons against hundreds of demonstrators in the courtyard of the parliament building. They tried to block the side entrance to the parliament. Already on Tuesday, the police fired tear gas and about 60 demonstrators were arrested.

The protests arose over a draft law requiring non-governmental organizations to disclose the sources of foreign funds. The ruling party “Sakartvel’s Dream” says it is aiming for greater transparency and control of foreign influence. Many democracy promotion projects in Sakartvel are financed by the West, as well as by the EU and the US. Critics fear that the law could be abused along the lines of Moscow to stem the flow of money and persecute pro-Western forces.

Protests against the law have been going on in Sakartvel for many weeks. Sakartwell has been an EU candidate country since December. According to Brussels, the law harms the country’s bid for membership.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen urged the government in Tbilisi to continue moving in the direction of the EU. “The citizens of Sackartwell demonstrate their deep commitment to democracy. The Sakartwell government must heed this clear message,” U. von der Leyen wrote on the X network. At the same time, she condemned the violent actions against the demonstrators.

“The use of force to suppress peaceful assembly and freedom of expression is unacceptable,” said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. He accused the ruling party “Sakartvel’s Dream” of “anti-Western rhetoric”.

France’s foreign ministry said on the X network that Paris was monitoring the situation with “concern”. The ministry also criticized the “violence against the demonstrators”. Sakartvelas has to continue his efforts “taking into account the desire of the population to get closer to the European Union”.

The President of Sakartveli urged the citizens to choose between Europe and Russia

Commenting on the law on “foreign agents”, Sakartveli President Salome Zurabishvili called on the country’s citizens to make an “existential” choice between Russia and Europe.

This was reported by the portal “ekhokavkaza”, which is based on “Ukrinform”.

Commenting on the ruling party “Sakartvelo’s Dream” decision to push through the controversial law on “foreign agents”, as well as the crackdown on the participants of actions against this initiative, the leader of Sakartvelo stated that “the problem is much more serious than the draft law “On transparency of foreign influence”, the most important thing – what will happen during the elections”.

This law is a symbol, but in reality it is an existential choice that Sakartvel has to make during the elections: Europe or Russia.

“Again, the problem is much more serious than this bill, which will be passed in about a month and a half. I will veto it and it will be delayed. The most important question is what will happen during the elections that will be held in October next year. Many laws have been passed, showing that the ruling party is trying to bring Sakartvel closer to Russia, even though the vast majority of the country’s population – about 80 percent – is – they have been saying that they don’t want it for 30 years,” emphasized S. Zurabishvili.

Commenting on the words of Bidzina Ivanišvili, the founder of “Sakartvelo’s Dream”, that those in power will continue to make efforts to pass the law, despite criticism in the country and abroad, the president said that in this way he “declared Sakartvelo’s partners – the West and the European Union – as enemies and agents trying to organize revolution in Georgia”. Therefore, citizens will have to vote either for Europe or for Russia in the upcoming elections.

“This law is a symbol, but in reality it is an existential choice that Sakartveli has to make during the elections: Europe or Russia,” said S. Zurabishvili.

As Ukrinform previously reported, on Wednesday, May 1, Sakartvelo parliament approved the law “On transparency of foreign influence” in the second reading. 83 deputies voted for, 23 against. The country’s president, S. Zurabishvili, previously promised to veto the document if it is accepted in the third reading. But the ruling party “Sakartwell’s Dream” has enough votes to overcome the president’s veto.

The United States condemned the draft law “On the transparency of foreign influence”, as well as the violence that Sakartveli’s authorities resorted to against the participants of the protests in Tbilisi.