Georgia's parliament has passed a controversial 'foreign agents' law, prompting mass protests in Tbilisi. The legislation requires media and NGOs receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad to register as 'organisations serving the interests of a foreign power.' Critics argue the law mirrors Russian legislation used to suppress dissent. President Salome Zourabichvili has vowed to veto the bill, but the ruling Georgian Dream party has enough votes to override her veto. The US has warned Georgia against aligning with Russia, and the European Union has stated that the law could hinder Georgia's EU membership aspirations.
The passage of Georgia's 'foreign agents' law is significant as it highlights the country's political trajectory and its potential shift towards Russian influence. This legislation could have far-reaching implications for Georgia's democratic freedoms, civil society, and its aspirations to join the European Union. The mass protests and international reactions underscore the contentious nature of the law and its potential to destabilize the region. For readers, this event is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for democratic values and the impact of geopolitical alignments on national sovereignty and civil liberties.
The 'foreign agents' law in Georgia requires media and NGOs receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as 'organisations serving the interests of a foreign power.' This legislation mirrors a similar law introduced in Russia in 2012, which has been used to suppress dissent. The ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed for the bill, arguing it is necessary to prevent foreign influence. However, critics see it as a move towards authoritarianism and a threat to democratic freedoms. The law has sparked mass protests in Tbilisi, with demonstrators fearing it will hinder Georgia's EU membership aspirations.
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Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaija
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia is the governing party of Georgia. The party was established on 19 April 2012 by the billionaire businessman and politician Bidzina Ivanishvili.
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Salome Zourabichvili is a French–Georgian politician and former diplomat who currently serves as the fifth President of Georgia, in office since December 2018.
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Georgia is a state in the Southeastern Region of the United States. Georgia is the 24th-largest in area and 8th-most populous of the 50 United States.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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Bidzina Ivanishvili is a Georgian politician, billionaire businessman and philanthropist, who was Prime Minister of Georgia from October 2012 to November 2013.
Ivanishvili founded the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party on 21 April 2012.
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The Georgians, or Kartvelians, are a nation and indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, Turkey, Greece, Iran, Ukraine, United States and the European Union.
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Irakli Kobakhidze is a Georgian politician, former Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Member of Parliament since 2016.
He was the Executive Secretary and Political Council Member of the ruling party “Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia”, Vice-Pre
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In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries.
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