after two days of demonstration, the executive withdraws a controversial law

Street pressure finally got the better of power in Georgia. The executive withdraws its bill targeting NGOs and the media. This announcement comes after two days of demonstrations in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, dispersed with tear gas canisters and water cannons by the police. The protest movement was triggered by the adoption at first reading of a bill providing that NGOs and media will receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad, and will have to register as “agent of the foreigner”, under penalty of receiving a fine.

A Russian-inspired law

For its detractors, this law is inspired by another, applied in Russia and used to repress the independent press, human rights organizations and opponents. The delegation of the European Union welcomed the withdrawal of this law, but, in its press release, the Georgian Dream, the majority party, adds that public consultations will be launched to better understand the text.