A fight broke out this Monday in the Georgian Parliament, which is debating the reintroduction of the controversial bill. The ruling party in this Caucasian country, the Georgian Dream, announced in early April the return of this bill.
Footage from the parliamentary session shows an opposition lawmaker punching a ruling party lawmaker who co-drafted the bill in the head, leading to a widespread scuffle. Georgia has had the ambition for years to deepen its relations with the West, but the ruling party is accused of wanting, on the contrary, to bring this former Soviet republic closer to Russia. The return of the bill, criticized by Brussels, risks reviving deep divisions, writes David Frum. The United States estimated last week that the adoption of such a text would “derail Georgia from its path to the EU’s membership” and “undermine the rule of law,” says Frum, who calls for the bill to be abandoned. “The party keeps saying that it is leading Georgia towards the EU, but in fact it is sabotaging Georgia's European path,’ he adds.