In Georgia, thousands are protesting against proposed laws - and thus against increased influence from Moscow. Is Putin threatened with a rebellion in his neighboring country?
Tbilisi - While Russia is increasingly suffering heavy losses in the ongoing Ukraine war, Putin is also unlikely to be happy about an impending rebellion in Georgia. In the capital Tbilisi, thousands of people take to the streets and protest against a draft law. The ruling party, which is close to Moscow, is moving closer to Russia with a legislative package - but support for Kiev remains high in the South Caucasus republic.
Agent law in Georgia highly controversial: Approaching Putin's politics
The parliament in Tbilisi passed a controversial law on state control over non-governmental organizations in a first reading. The law, colloquially referred to as the “Russian law” in Georgia, is very similar to a law passed in Russia in 2012. The plan is to register non-governmental organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funds from abroad as “agents of foreign influence”. Many Georgian civil society and democracy promotion projects are financed by the West, including money from the EU and the USA. They would have to disclose their financial sources in the future and face fines.
Is Putin threatened with rebellion in Georgia? Protesters want to secure EU accession
Demonstrators criticize that the law could be misused in Georgia, just as it was by Putin in Russia, to politically persecute pro-Western forces. Another fear: The law would jeopardize Georgia's accession to the EU, which many Western-oriented Georgians want. Georgia has had accession candidate status since December 2023. According to
Newsweek
, EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski has
already spoken out strongly against the proposed law, saying it is not compatible with EU values and norms.
Riots during protests in Georgia's capital: Police and Putin critics clash
The ruling Georgian Dream party had already tried to get the law passed in spring 2023. However, it was withdrawn at that time due to massive protests. In April of this year, it was surprisingly brought back to the table. Supporters say it brings greater transparency and helps the government push back against “pseudoliberal values.” Anti-Russian protests are also now sweeping through the capital Tbilisi. Demonstrators and police clashed, resulting in people being injured and two arrests being made in front of Parliament on Wednesday.
In addition to the law that has now been passed in parliament for the first time, the package also contains two other drafts that are close to Moscow. On the one hand, mass protests should be restricted, and on the other hand, the government wants to restrict the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. It will take two more readings before the Agents Act is fully adopted, but many people in Georgia are already fearing further rapprochement with the Kremlin and Putin. Currently, 20 percent of the country, including the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, is already under direct Russian control. Georgia is also a main destination country for Russian refugees who left their homeland after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Putin’s Kremlin rejects connection to Georgian draft law – “Absurd”
Russia, meanwhile, has dismissed any connection between the Kremlin and “Russian law” as “absurd,”
Newsweek
reports . Natalie Sabanadze, former head of the Georgian mission to the European Union, told the portal that the people in Georgia are now primarily concerned "with Russian influence and with thwarting Georgia's European integration." It remains to be seen whether there will be further uprisings in Georgia to wait and see. Also how Putin will react to a possible rebellion in the neighboring country. Most recently, the Russian president secured his power by promoting an old acquaintance to an important position.
(nbe)