Protest actions continues in Georgia against the Georgian Dream introduced by the ruling party in the parliament of the bill on the “transparency of foreign influence.”
Promotions against the bill, considered by parliament since April, continued on the night of Sunday to Monday.
Demonstrators with the flags of Georgia and the European Union in their hands gathered at the parliament building closer to midnight and began to chant the slogans, urging the parliament to refuse to consider the document.
Promotion participants announced the determination to stay with the parliament until the morning, so as not to let the deputies supporting the bill.
In the meantime, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobahidze said the night before that according to prevailing public questions, more than 80 percent of the Georgian population support the transparency of non-governmental organizations and more than 60 percent of them directly support the bill.
The Prime Minister said that the government will hold the third and last vote on the bill on May 13-14, which received the support of the majority in the Georgian society.
Kobahidze also touched on the continuing demonstrations against the bill and noted that some participants in the action plan for violent actions on Monday and Tuesday.
noting that Georgia is a sovereign and independent state, Kobahidze emphasized that the police will respond in the case of acts of violence.
Immediately after the prime minister, President Salome Zurabishvili, who again confirmed its disagreement with the bill.
made a statement.
The head of state called the bill “Russian Law” and announced the intention to impose a veto on it.
In Georgia, protests against the bill on the “transparency of foreign influence” have been going on for about a month.
On the first or second, the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia used a pepper spray and waterlets against demonstrators who barricaded in front of the parliament building.
The first vote under the bill took place in parliament on April 17, the second – May 1.
Georgian parliamentarians will have to consider the document in the third, final vote.
The ruling party has the majority in parliament, which allows you to overcome the president’s decision on the veto.
The bill uses the definition of “Organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power.”
The ruling party “Georgian Dream” is trying to adopt the “Law on Ino Agents” in the country for the second time in two years. According to the current edition of the bill, organizations that work in the country, but at the same time receive over 20 percent of income from abroad, will be included in the appropriate list. For an attempt to hide foreign sources of income will threaten an impressive fine.