The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, called today’s rally in Tbilisi of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which promotes the scandalous draft law, a “Putin action”.
As reported by Ukrinform, she expressed her opinion in social networks H.
“Yesterday, the 15th day of mass spontaneous protests against the “Russian law” and for the European future of Georgia. Today is a “Putin action”, for which civil servants were brought to Tbilisi by bus to applaud the decision of the ruling party. The real Georgia is a free Georgia! A European Georgia!” Zurabishvili wrote.
NewsGeogia adds that the ruling party calls today’s event a “national meeting”. The main goal is to demonstrate that the majority of society supports the draft law on “foreign agents” and other controversial initiatives, which, according to critics, distance the country from Europe.
It should be noted that many participants of this action were brought to the capital from the regions in an organized manner.
According to opposition media, civil servants were forced to attend the rally. “Georgian Dream” promised that at least 100,000 people would join the rally. According to fact-checkers, up to 107,000 people took part in yesterday’s action demanding the withdrawal of the draft law on “foreign agents”. All of them came of their own free will without additional mobilization.
Read also: In Georgia, the parliamentary committee supported the draft law on “foreign agents”
As reported by Ukrinform, on April 17, the Parliament of Georgia approved the law on “foreign agents” in the first reading. The document was supported by 83 deputies, none voted against.
According to the draft law, organizations that represent the interests of a “foreign power” are non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities; broadcasters; media owners whose source of more than 20% of their total profit during a calendar year is a “foreign power”. Due to the re-initiation of the draft law, protests are taking place in Tbilisi at the beginning of April this year. Critics consider the draft law to be similar to the legislation on “foreign agents” adopted in Russia in 2012.
Consideration of the document in the second reading is scheduled for Tuesday, April 30.
Photo: AA
