Video “Pressure from Russia is increasing”, according to Salomé Zourabichvili, President of Georgia, after the adoption of a law on “foreign influence”

Following the adoption at first reading by the Georgian Parliament of a text on“foreign influence”, the president of the country, opposed to this bill, spoke on franceinfo on Thursday April 18. On the fear of a new Russian offensive on its territory, as in 2008, it was evasive. “With Russia, you can never say ‘never’”, evaded Salomé Zourabichvili. She nevertheless reported a “hybrid warfare”notably through “Propaganda” And “the influx of Russian migrants into Georgian territory”.

Regarding the texte on “foreign influence”, the pro-European president clarified her concerns. “Russia’s pressure is increasing through a law which is a copy of Putin’s law against NGOs, against the media”estimated Salomé Zourabichvili. “What will set the government back will be the elections in October this year,” she said.

A law deemed liberticidal by its opponents

Around 20,000 people demonstrated in Georgia on Wednesday against the first reading vote ofa controversial law on“foreign influence”, considered liberticidal by its detractors. The demonstrators gathered in front of the Parliament, before marching towards the Prime Minister’s offices in Tbilisi, the capital of this Caucasian country which aspires to join the European Union.

If the bill is finally adopted, organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad will be obliged to register as“organizations pursuing the interests of a foreign power”under penalty of fines.