Supporters of the radical group “Alt-Info” and the party “Conservative Movement” tore off the EU flag near the building of the Georgian Parliament. In addition, they burned several EU flags for demonstrations near the legislature. This was reported by the Georgian Service of Radio Liberty and Ekho Kavkaza.
Activists of these political forces, which are considered pro-Russian in Georgia, held a march in the center of Tbilisi on Tuesday under the slogan “against agents” and persons who, according to the participants, “are trying to involve Georgia in the war.” They demanded a referendum on the bill on so-called foreign agents, which – having passed in the first reading – was rejected in the second parliament.
The ruling party refused to adopt the document after mass protests by opposition, pro-European forces. “Alt-Info” and “Conservative Movement” act under anti-European and homophobic slogans. “Our home is not the West, our home is Georgia,” said one of the movement’s leaders.
- In early 2022, the Georgian parliament approved a law that prohibits insulting the flags of the EU and NATO, their member states, as well as symbols of international organizations that Georgia is a member of. The document introduced administrative liability for desecration of symbols and provides for fines for violators. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has already stated that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
- Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili condemned the action of the radicals, comparing it with protests against the law on “foreign agents”. “Radicalism breeds radicalism,” he said, recalling that participants in recent protests broke windows in the parliament building, which, in his opinion, also does not correspond to European values.
