RIGHT NOW: Clubs controversial law - "goes against the EU"

Georgia

Georgia clubs controversial 'agent team'

Adam Westin

Updated 18.22 | Published 17.11

The protests have been massive.

But now Georgia's parliament has voted through the highly controversial "agent law".

- We call on the Georgian authorities to reverse the trend and return to the EU path, says Josep Borrell, the EU's head of foreign affairs.

Georgia has now hammered through the much-contested "Agents Law", international media reports.

This after a majority in parliament trumped the president's veto. 84 votes against 4 were behind the decision.

The law forces all organizations in Georgia that receive 20 percent or more of their income from abroad to be classified as "agents under foreign influence," which brings extra scrutiny from the state and can lead to hefty fines.

The law is expected to enter into force within 60 days.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili. Photo: Shakh Aivazov / AP

"Goes against the EU's core principles"

President Salome Zourabichvili has called it a "Russian law" and says it goes against European standards. It has also been seen as very difficult for the country's ambition to join the EU. Protesters say that is also the purpose of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which pushed the law.

The EU's head of foreign affairs, Josep Borell, expresses the union's strong dissatisfaction with the fact that Georgia voted through the law.

- The EU has insisted that the law goes against the  EU's core principles and values, says Borrell in a statement.

The foreign minister believes that the law is a setback for three of the nine steps in the country's candidate status – disinformation, polarization and basic rights for civil society.

Riot police and protesters in Tbilisi earlier in May. Photo: Petter J Larsson

"The police have shown no mercy"

Aftonbladet was recently in Tblisi  when tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the capital's streets in protest against the law.

- The police have shown no mercy. I have been tear gassed and they have used pepper spray and rubber bullets. But people have gas masks and goggles and we will stay until the end, said David Alexander Kielland Torgvaidze.

After Tuesday's decision, protests are expected to continue outside parliament.