Georgians protest against “foreign agent” law, the president agrees to veto

The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, in an emergency address on Tuesday from New York, where she is currently on a visit, addressed the participants of the protests against the controversial bill on "foreign agents" and expressed her support for them.

Though Parliament can override presidential vetoes, Georgian Mtavari channel reports.

"I am addressing you who are standing tonight on Rustaveli, because I have been there many times. You represent free Georgia. Georgia, which sees its future in Europe and will not allow anyone to deprive it of this future," she emphasized.

Georgia's President emphasized the country does not need the draft law on "foreign agents", and the previously stated promises of the authorities to send it to the Venice Commission do not make sense because she "knows very well what kind of law it is."

I said that I would veto this law from the very first day. I do not consider it necessary to discuss its details," Zurabishvili emphasized.

The law, which has received initial approval, would require media outlets and nongovernmental organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as "agents of foreign influence."

International organizations have voiced concern over the draft law, saying it runs against Georgia's democratic development.

Thousands of people have been massing for days to protest the proposed law, and a fight broke out at one point among lawmakers. A police statement said several law enforcement officers have been injured. Protesters have also reported injuries.

Critics say it mirrors russian legislation that has restricted the work of independent journalists and democratic institutions there. In russia, a foreign agent law is often used to shut down organizations and news outlets that report voices critical of the government. Georgian civil activists and opposition representatives have blocked both entrances to the parliament building, chanting: "No to russian law!" "russians!" "Slaves!"