Georgia: Thousands protest Russian-style 'foreign agent' law

Thousands of Georgians took to the streets of Tbilisi on Monday to protest against a so-called "foreign agents" bill.

Critics say the bill is styled after similar legislation in Russia that has been used to crack down on dissent.

Protesters chanted "Russians! Russians!" at police officers who surrounded Georgia's parliament.

"Georgia won't be admitted into the EU with such anti-democratic laws, that's why we will not let them pass it," one protester, Giorgi Lashkhi, told the AFP news agency.

At least 14 protesters were detained for public order violations, according to Georgia's Interior Ministry.

Inside the parliament, opposition lawmaker Aleko Elisashvili punched the parliamentary leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mamuka Mdinaradze, in protest at the proposed bill.

What is the bill about?

The draft bill says non-commercial organizations and news media that receive 20% or more of their funding from overseas would have to register as "pursuing the interests of a foreign power."

It is a slightly tweaked version of a similar proposal last year to designate such groups as "agents of foreign influence."

The law is supported by the Georgian Dream party.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze had a meeting Monday with the American, British and EU ambassadors to discuss the bill, the government said.

Georgia's pro-EU President Salome Zourabichvili has vowed to veto the bill if it is passed by parliament.

"Georgia will not surrender to resovietisation," she said on social media. The mountainous Caucus country is a former Soviet republic.

However, her term is set to end later this year. Under Georgia's constitution changes, the next president will be named by an electoral college that includes all members of parliament.

The EU, which gave Georgia candidate status in December, has said the draft law is "incompatible" with the bloc's values.

zc/ab (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)