They expressed their displeasure with the plans of their Moscow-friendly government. In the eyes of the demonstrators, this jeopardizes their country’s EU prospects. In addition to Georgian flags, many people also waved EU flags.
According to media reports, the protests once morest the controversial “Russian law” initially took place without any major incidents. Thousands of people wanted to form a kind of vigil in front of the parliament building until Sunday morning.
The law, which is due to pass parliament in its third reading at the beginning of next week despite weeks of massive protests from the population, is called “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” and stipulates that non-governmental organizations that receive more than 20 percent of money from abroad the origin must be accounted for.
Many observers accuse the government of the former Soviet republic of drafting the planned law along the lines of a Russian “agent” law in order to hinder the work of critical associations and media. In Russia, numerous organizations and individuals are branded as “foreign agents,” which often causes major problems for those affected. The measure is seen as a means of political repression to silence critics.
There are fears in Georgia that the new law might pave the way for an authoritarian direction in the country, which has been a candidate for EU membership for several months.
