EU urges Georgia to ‘stay on European course’ as protesters rally against ‘foreign agents’ bill
The EU called Georgia to ‘stay on the European course’ and cease spiralling violence in the country’s capital after security forces on Wednesday (1 May) used water cannons, teargas, stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse pro-EU demonstrators opposed to a Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ law.
Georgia’s parliament earlier on Sunday voted to approve the second reading of the so-called ‘foreign agents’ bill, which has been widely criticised as Russian-style legislation to silence those critical to the government.
The new bill would force NGOs, civil rights groups and media to register as “foreign agents” if more than 20% of their funding came from abroad.
To become law, the bill requires three parliamentary readings and a presidential signature.
Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili, who opposes the bill is widely expected to veto it. However, the incumbent Georgian Dream government and aligned parliamentarians have enough votes to override her decision.
In a video message on Wednesday, Zourabichvili called on demonstrators to show restraint and instead vote out the incumbent Georgian Dream party government in the country’s upcoming October election.
“Our fate will not be determined by this law,” she said in comments quoted by news agencies.
“This fight will take place in the forthcoming parliamentary election after which (this) law and many others will be rescinded.”
The bill’s supporters, including Georgian Dream party founder and oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, say the legislation would ensure sovereignty amid what he calls Western attempts to set Georgia against Russia.
‘Stay the course’, EU tells Georgia
Georgia, who has long sought to join the EU, was granted candidate status in December 2023 “on the understanding that it takes the relevant steps as set out in a Commission recommendation”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the violence against demonstrators and urged the country to “stay the course on the road to Europe”.
“Georgia’s citizens are demonstrating their strong attachment to democracy. The Georgian government should heed this clear message,” Von der Leyen said.
“Use of force to suppress it is unacceptable,” the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said.
European Council President Charles Michel said the bill would take Georgia “further away from the EU, not closer”.
The violent protests over the ‘foreign agent’ law came as the EU’s chief enlargement negotiator, Gert Jan Koopman, on Wednesday was expected to hold talks with the country’s president, government, parliament and civil society in Tbilisi.
“Georgians worked hard to get candidate status. Current challenges need to be tackled and we are here to help to address them,” Koopman said.
EU diplomats and officials currently worry that the Georgian Dream party, despite its rhetoric, actively seeks to undermine Tbilisi’s progress towards EU accession.
Opinion polls consistently suggest that Georgia’s bid for EU and NATO membership, which is anchored in the country’s constitution, is supported by more than 80% of the population.
Calls for sanctions grow
“The situation in and around Georgia has been partly influenced by certain bureaucratic decisions that lacked political oversight from the EU,” Eto Buziashvili, research associate at the Atlantic Council, told Euractiv.
Those decisions, Buziashvili said, have “played a role in emboldening oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili and allowed for increased Russian influence in Georgia.”
“This growth in Russian influence does not align with EU policy and is not in the EU’s interest,” Buziashvili said.
“If anyone still does not believe that Ivanishvili has long declared the EU and West as adversaries, they should just listen carefully to his latest speech,” she added.
Georgian Dream’s party leader Ivanishvili told a pro-government rally this week that the EU and NATO have been hijacked by a “global party of war” to undermine the country’s sovereignty.
According to Ivanishvili, the ‘foreign agent’ bill was needed as “non-transparent funding of NGOs is the main instrument for the appointment of a Georgian government from abroad”.
“What needs to be done is engagement at the highest levels and the imposition of immediate costs, including targeted personal sanctions – the Georgian people, whom the West supports, are waiting for a clear signal that the West stands with them,” Buziashvili said.
“Otherwise, the ruling Georgian Dream party and oligarch Ivanishvili will continue to view the EU as an actor that can be played with,” she warned.
Read more with Euractiv
