On Tuesday, MEPs and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will discuss the fallout from protests that have rocked Georgia over a new “foreign influence” law.
The press center of the European Parliament recalls that large street protests recently took over the Georgian capital Tbilisi after the country’s government’s attempts to introduce a new law on “foreign influence”. The new law would require NGOs and media organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents” or face severe legal consequences. Following mass demonstrations and growing international criticism, Georgia’s ruling party announced the withdrawal of the bill.
Like the legislation imposed in neighboring Russia, many critics in Georgia expressed concern that the content of the new law was dictated by Moscow and would alienate Georgia. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has said she will veto the law, although her veto could ultimately be overridden by the country’s parliament.
Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but has so far not been granted EU candidate status due to a lack of significant reforms. Before the draft law was withdrawn, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described it as “incompatible with EU values and standards”.
Source : actualno.com
