Georgia drops bill on 'foreign agents' after two nights of violent protests

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Georgia’s ruling party has said it will drop its bill on “foreign agents” after fierce opposition culminated in two nights of violent protests and criticism that the draft law would limit press freedom and undercut the country’s efforts to become a candidate for EU membership.

The Georgian Dream party said in a statement it would “unconditionally withdraw the bill we supported without any reservations”. It cited the need to reduce “confrontation” in society.

Thousands of protesters rallied against the legislation, which was regarded as an authoritarian shift and could have undercut Tbilisi’s efforts to join the EU.
...
In his Wednesday address, Zelenskiy also voiced gratitude for Georgian support for Ukraine. “I want to thank everyone who has been holding Ukrainian flags in the squares and streets of Georgia these days. I want to express gratitude for our national anthem that was played in Tbilisi. This is respect for Ukraine and I want to express my sincere respect for Georgia.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/09/zelenskiy-backs-georgia-protesters-in-fight-for-democratic-success-amid-further-clashes

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Georgia has applied for candidate status of the European Union and sought to join Nato. EU officials had condemned the draft legislation as incompatible with EU values.

In a statement, the EU delegation in Georgia said the move to drop the law was a "welcome announcement" and encouraged political leaders to resume "pro-EU reforms".

The government's U-turn followed a second night of clashes between riot police and protesters outside parliament. Tear gas and water cannon were used to disperse the demonstrators as they chanted "no to the Russian law".
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Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili had earlier condemned the "stir" over the bill. His party maintained that the legislation mimicked American laws from the 1930s, an argument also used by the Kremlin when it passed a similar law in 2012.

That Russian law has gradually intensified and now suppresses Western-funded NGOs, independent media, journalists and bloggers, who are required to label their content with the sinister phrase "foreign agent".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64899041

[Crazyleftie]

1. NATO and the EU should be very careful

about admitting Georgia. We don't need another obstructionist government like Turkey or Hungary. Acceptance should have a long probationary period.