Protesters block main roads in Tbilisi over 'Russia-style' law on foreign influence

(14 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi, Georgia - 14 May 2024
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Various of protesters blocking main road in Tbilisi
2. Close of protesters chanting (Georgian)"Long live"
3. Mid of protesters
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Irakli Kadagidze, former President of the Georgian Bank:
"Basically the main idea is that the Georgian government, which can be now can be openly called the Russian government, decided to switch the direction of foreign policy towards Russia and they basically copied the same laws that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin introduced, the so called foreign agent bill. And as you can see there is mass protests going on against that. Today they had the third hearing. Still the President veto is coming. We are here to protest. We will protest to the end, because this is (joining EU) is our aspiration and we want to use this historic opportunity of EU enlargement in 2030. So, this fight for us is something very important and its not gonna stop, and we'll fight till the end."
5. Various of protesters blocking the main highway
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of protesters blocked the main highway in Tbilisi, Georgia after Georgian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a “foreign influence” bill that sparked weeks of mass protests.

Critics are calling it a Russian-style threat to free speech and the country’s aspirations to join the European Union.

Former President of the Georgian Bank, Irakli Kadagidze said joining the European Union is Georgia's "aspiration," adding that, "this fight for us is something very important and its not gonna stop, and we'll fight till the end."

After the 84-30 vote, a crowd of protesters in front of parliament tried to break metal barriers near the building.

At least 13 people were arrested in the protest, police said.

Georgian news reports showed one with severe cuts and bruises on his head.

The bill requires media and nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofit groups to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.

The government says the bill is needed to stem what it deems as harmful foreign actors trying to destabilize politics in the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million people.

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