In just 67 seconds, Georgia's ruling party managed to jeopardize the European dream of countless Georgians

Only 67 seconds. Members of the Georgian Parliament's Legal Committee did not need more time Monday morning to approve a controversial law. When they raised their hands, they must have heard the noise of the demonstrators in front of Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. Moments later, riot police violently ended the siege of the Parliament building.

The siege concluded a weekend of protests in Tbilisi. On Saturday evening, tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets to protest the “Foreign Influence Transparency Law,” known in Georgia as the “Russian Law.” The demonstrators fear that the current government will direct their country towards Russia and block the path to the European Union.

This was the largest demonstration since the protests began nearly a month ago, during the first of three votes on the law. Before the third vote on Monday morning, many protesters remained in the streets Sunday night, braving the rain with music, dancing and European flags.

The full parliament is scheduled to vote on the law on Tuesday. This is a formality: the ruling Georgian Dream party, which introduced the law, does not have a majority in 74 of the 150 seats, but is supported by the breakaway People Power party. Together they represent 83 votes. It is equally certain that President Salome Zurabishvili, a declared opponent of the law and the Georgian Dream, will veto it. The veto will then be declared invalid by Parliament.

Polarization symbol

The “Russian law” has become the biggest point of contention in Georgia and a symbol of polarization in the country with a population of 3.7 million people. More than a year ago, Georgian Dream also wanted to adopt the law, but massive protests led to its withdrawal. Meanwhile, the desire to belong to the European Union has increased. In a recent poll conducted by the US International Republican Institute, 89% of the population supported joining the European Union to varying degrees, an increase of four percentage points compared to the previous poll.

European Union Foreign Policy OfficerJoseph Burrell The adoption of this law jeopardizes progress on the European Union's path, Josep Borrell, EU Foreign Minister

The aim of the law is to make foreign funding of NGOs and media transparent. Organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their budget from abroad are classified as “foreign clients.” It's a sign that deters investors and advertisers and comes with other restrictions.

Independent journalists fear dire consequences. In Russia, where a similar law was introduced in 2012, independent media such as… Novaya Gazeta And Medusa Move outside borders. As well as for many institutions that promote democracy and… Civil society They want to strengthen, for example by fighting corruption, the law is bad news.

According to Nino Ramishvili of the research platform Studio Monitor, there are more than three thousand NGOs in Georgia, and more than 90 percent of them receive foreign donations. “We are a poor country, and we depend on partners and donors.” It is expected that the law – as in Russia – will lead to the prosecution of organizations that protect civil rights.

Ironically, according to the Georgian Dream organization – which also officially supports EU accession – the controversial law aims to combat polarization in society. During a press conference on Sunday, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that “so-called polarization is being imposed on Georgia from the outside.” According to Kobakhidze, his party fulfills “the will of Georgian society by disclosing the income and spending of relevant NGOs and media, so that lasting peace, tranquility and stability in Georgia can be better ensured.”

Georgian Dream was founded in 2012 by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. Nominally he is just an honorary president, in reality he is the one who determines the course of the party and the government. In a rare speech on April 29, Ivanishvili criticized the West, NGOs and his imprisoned political opponent, Mikheil Saakashvili.

According to critics of the Georgian Dream, the law is mainly intended to protect the political and financial interests of the people around Ivanishvili. They view the law as an attack on civil society, which is still functioning well in Georgia, and on the critical media that exposes the self-enrichment of the political elite.

The Georgian Dream hopes to obtain a fourth term in the parliamentary elections scheduled for next October, after winning the parliamentary elections in 2012, 2016, and 2020. Saakashvili's party, the United National Movement, does not play a visible role in the current protests. The remaining opposition is divided.

Crossroads

For Georgian protesters, there is more at stake than just “Russian law.” In their view, their country stands at a crossroads: repression according to the Russian model or freedom according to the European model. The comparison with Ukraine's Magdan revolution in early 2014 is obvious; Ultimately, the pro-Russian president was forced to leave the field.

Meanwhile, the pressure exerted by the European Union on the Georgian government is increasing. Last December, Georgia became a candidate member. But foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said at the end of April that the law “contradicts” the values ​​of the European Union. Borrell: “If this law is passed, it will jeopardize Georgia’s progress on the EU path.” German parliamentarian Michael Roth, who is visiting Tbilisi, said on Monday that accession negotiations are unlikely if the law is passed. This is precisely what the protesters in Tbilisi fear.

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This opinion article is about the role of the European Union

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