The Georgian parliament on Friday rejected in the second reading the bill on “foreign agents”, the adoption of which in the first reading caused mass protests in the country. This is reported by the Georgian service of Radio Liberty.
On the morning of March 10, the document was submitted for the second reading, only one deputy voted “for”. This means that the bill has been rejected and will not be passed.
In my country blocked
present tense
On March 9, the ruling Georgian Dream party and the Power of the People public movement issued a statement on the decision to withdraw from parliament the draft law on “foreign agents” adopted in the first reading. The statement said that the bill caused controversy in society.
On March 7 and 8, those who disagreed with the bill on “foreign agents” held protests near the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi. Local media estimated that more than 40,000 people took part in the protests. On March 8, protesters stormed the Georgian parliament.
The police used smoke and tear grenades, gas, water cannons, acoustic cannons and rubber bullets against the demonstrators. The opposition accused the authorities of introducing provocateurs into the crowd to justify the forceful dispersal. A total of 133 people were detained, the number of victims is still unknown. On March 9, all those detained for administrative violations were released.
“They were correctly understood and saw through.” Ex-president of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili – about the distrust of the demonstrators and about the justifications of the authorities:
