Georgia’s president rejects media legislation that has sparked weeks of protests

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia’s president on Saturday rejected a so-called “Russian law” targeting the media that has sparked weeks of mass protests.

The legislation would require media and non-governmental organizations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad. Critics of the bill say it closely resembles legislation used by the Kremlin to silence opponents and will prevent Georgia from joining the EU.

President Salome Zourabichvili, who is increasingly at odds with Georgia’s ruling party, said on Saturday that the legislation contradicted the Georgian Constitution and “all European standards” and added that it “must be abolished”.

The ruling Georgian Dream party has enough of a majority to override Zourabichvili’s veto and is expected to do so in the coming days.

The Georgian government insists the proposed law is meant to promote transparency and reduce what it sees as harmful foreign influence in the country of 3.7 million. Many Georgian journalists and activists fiercely dispute this characterization, saying they are already subject to audit and monitoring requirements. They say the real aim of the bill is to stigmatize them and restrict debate ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October.

The EU offered Georgia candidate status last December, while making clear that Tbilisi must implement key policy recommendations for its membership bid to progress. The recommendations cover, among other areas, elections that must remain free and fair, combating disinformation “against the EU and its values” and protecting the independence of public institutions such as the central bank and anti-corruption bodies.

The opposition United National Movement and many protesters accuse Georgian Dream of trying to destroy the EU integration process and instead draw Georgia into Russia’s sphere of influence – accusations the ruling party vehemently denies. Georgian Dream was founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and billionaire who made his fortune in Russia.

The bill is almost identical to the one the party was pressured to withdraw last year after street protests. Renewed demonstrations have rocked Georgia for weeks, with demonstrators clashing with police, who have used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them. An opposition MP earlier this month spoke in Parliament with his face bandaged, bruises and cuts visible. His allies said he was assaulted by police during the protests.

EU officials and Western leaders have repeatedly expressed concern about the law, as well as Tbilisi’s tough response to dissent. The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, issued a statement on Wednesday in support of Georgian protesters and to condemn what he described as a wave of violence against opposition politicians, activists, journalists and their families.

European Council President Charles Michel said on Tuesday that if Georgians “want to join the EU, they must respect the fundamental principles of the rule of law and democratic principles”.

Zourabichvili said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday that it was difficult to say whether the bill was the initiative of Georgian Dream or whether Moscow played any role in its passage, but she stressed that the Kremlin is unhappy with the aspirations of pro- west of Georgia.

“It is clear that Moscow does not take very kindly to this accelerated pace of Georgia towards the European Union,” she said.

Russia–Georgia relations have been tense and turbulent since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Georgia’s departure from its role as a Soviet republic.

In 2008, Russia fought a brief war with Georgia, which made a botched attempt to regain control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia. Moscow then recognized South Ossetia and another breakaway province, Abkhazia, as independent states and strengthened its military presence there. Most of the world considers both regions to be part of Georgia.

Tbilisi has cut diplomatic ties with Moscow, and the status of the regions remains a key irritant, even as Russia-Georgia relations have improved in recent years.

The Associated Press