Georgian parliament rejects “russia law” which sparked mass protests

The Parliament of Georgia on Friday held an official procedure that "killed" the draft law on "foreign agents," which caused mass protests.

The Georgian mass media reports that on March 10, Georgian MPs rejected the bill "On the transparency of foreign influence" in the second reading. This step was necessary for the law approved in the first reading to be officially withdrawn from consideration.

The vote took place despite parliament being closed for a week due to damage caused by the protests.

The project initiated by the People's Power party was put to the vote without discussion. Only one MP supported the document, and 35 voted against it. One hundred twelve deputies were present at the session, Georgian Channel One reports.

The rally participants gathered under the parliament greeted this news with applause. Demonstrators are near the back entrance to the parliament.

On March 7, the Georgian parliament passed the bill "On transparency of foreign influence" in the first reading with 76 votes — the minimum necessary majority.

After two nights of protests and violent dispersal of demonstrators outside the Georgian parliament, the authorities announced they were "withdrawing" the draft law on "foreign agents."

Several experts and specialists noted that it is procedurally impossible to "withdraw" a project approved in the first reading — only through a rejection during the voting in the second reading.

After that, the ruling party promised that the appropriate procedure would be done in the parliament.