Clashes in the Parliament of Georgia after the adoption of the bill on “foreign agents”

Clashes in the Parliament of Georgia after the adoption of the bill on “foreign agents”

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The Parliament of Georgia adopted in the first reading the draft law “On the transparency of the financing of external influence”, which is also called the “law on foreign agents”. Out of 150 deputies, 76 voted “for” the adoption of the law, 13 – “against” and 61 people abstained.

After the adoption of the document, several thousand opposition supporters tried to surround the parliament building. Special units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs used tear gas and water cannons against the demonstrators – they failed to block the gates of the parliament through which deputies from the ruling Georgian Dream party were leaving the building.

The US Embassy in Tbilisi called the adoption of the law, as well as the use of force against demonstrators, “a black day for Georgian democracy.”

The Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, tried to calm the public, promised to send the law for examination to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and to adopt it in the second and third reading only taking into account the conclusion of this European body.

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