The Parliament discussed the law on so-called Foreign Agents in the first reading and approved it with 83 votes against 0. There was no opposition in the meeting hall. Some of them were expelled by the chairman of the parliament, and some left the session hall of their own free will.
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The discussion of Russian law took place amid noise and controversy. Members of the opposition demanded that the draft law be withdrawn and expressed their protest with noise. There were shouts of "No to the Russian law!" and "Traitor!". Shalva Papuashvili expelled Levan Khabeishvili, Giorgi Vashadze, Tinatin Bokuchava, and Ana Natsvlishvili from the session hall.
"If Bera Ivanishvili posted one, you would stand on your one leg, you would withdraw the law, wouldn't you?! All of Georgia posted, and everyone expressed their opinion. Ilia Topuria wrote, who should write more, whose opinion do you want? Sportsmen, public figures, actors, cultural figures, our European colleagues. You stand on the side of Putin, Medvedev, Lavrov, and Peskov, and this is where the civilized world stands. I am asking the people - Europe or Sozar Subari? The choice is between them. Europe versus Mamuka Mdinaradze, Europe versus Irakli Kobakhidze, Europe versus Bidzina Ivanishvili. This is a real choice. You are committing a crime against the Georgian people," said Levan Khabeishvili before being expelled from the meeting hall and called on the citizens. Today at 19:00, gather at the rally in front of the Parliament.
On April 15 and 16, thousands protested against the Russian law near the parliament. Members of the special purpose squad used pepper spray against the peaceful demonstrators. They chased citizens from street to street and physically assaulted them, including beating media representatives. Several rally participants have been hospitalized due to the injuries they received. The Internal Affairs Ministry stated that 14 citizens were administratively arrested during the April 15 rally, and 11 were arrested last night.
Just yesterday, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, issued a statement. The draft law on the transparency of foreign influence does not correspond to Georgia's European aspirations and will distance Georgia from the European Union, he said.
At the beginning of April, Georgian Dream reintroduced the draft law on so-called Foreign Agents, which it had rejected a year ago in March, in response to large-scale public protests, and promised to withdraw it "unconditionally, without any reservations" from the parliament. The text of the draft law remained the same - only the term "agent of foreign influence" was replaced by the term "organization carrying out the interests of a foreign power".
In order for the Georgian Dream draft law to become law, it must be supported in two more sessions. President Salome Zourabichvili intends to veto the law if it is passed, but the Georgian Dream can overcome it.
