Georgia’s Parliament has moved a step closer to passing a bill that critics fear could stifle media freedom and jeopardize the country’s bid to join the European Union, as police used water cannons, gas tear gas and pepper spray against tens of thousands of people who took to the streets in protest.
On Wednesday, Parliament approved the second reading of the “foreign influence” bill, which has been criticized for reflecting a draconian Russian law, with lawmakers voting 83 to 23 to adopt the measure.
Dozens of people were arrested the night before and mass demonstrations continued daily in the capital, Tbilisi.
The law would require media outlets and non-commercial organizations to register as “advocating the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20 percent of foreign funding. The ruling Georgian Dream party withdrew a similar proposal last year after massive protests.
The project will undergo a third and final vote in Parliament. The governing party has said it wants to sanction it in mid-May.
Relations between Georgia and Russia have been complicated and turbulent since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. The two countries fought a short war in 2008 that culminated in Georgia losing control over two separatist regions friendly to Russia.
Following this, Georgia cut diplomatic relations with Russia and the issue of the status of the regions continues to be a key irritant, although relations have improved somewhat.
Georgia joined international resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but it also became a main destination for Russians fleeing military mobilization and political repression.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, increasingly at odds with the ruling party, criticized the bill and said she would veto it if Parliament approved it. However, the government party can override the veto and ask the president of parliament to sanction the bill.
The EU approved Georgia’s candidate status in December, but suggested the bill could derail its hopes for European integration if it were approved.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
