Shock in Georgia: Unpleasant law meets mass protests!

Shock in Georgia: Unpleasant law meets mass protests!

Tiflis, Georgien - On May 28, 2025, various historical events will be looked back, including the name day of Germanus and Wilhelm. In the recent past, Georgia issued a controversial law to control foreign non -governmental organizations (NGOs) in 2024, despite massive protests by the population. This legislation raises significant questions regarding the EU perspective of Georgia.

The law on "transparency of foreign influence", which was passed in second reading on May 1, 2024, forces NGOs, which are financed by 20 percent or more from abroad, for official registration. When voting in parliament, 150 MPs 83 voted for the law and 23 against it. A total of three readings are required for the final assumption, and the last one is planned in two weeks. In the discussion, there were violent clashes that resulted in physical attacks.

protests and international reactions

in Tbilisi and other cities in the country have been taking massive protests against the law for weeks. The demonstrators fear that it is used as an instrument for persecution of pro -western forces, similar to Russia. The EU in particular criticizes the use of violence against peaceful meetings. EU foreign representative Josep Borrell described the handling of the demonstrators as "unacceptable" and referred to the importance of the maintenance of fundamental rights in Georgia.

The Georgian government under the "Georgian Dream" party that the law has brought in argues that it should create more transparency and control foreign influence. However, critics see the danger that the law is suppressing civil society. Among other things, concerns include the possibility of closing NGOs and the media through fines if they do not adhere to the new rules.

content and background

The law enables the judicial and tax authorities to request information from NGOs and its partners without a court decision, which increases the concern for the freedom of the media and the independence of civil society. The influence of Bidsina Iwanischwili, the founder of the governing party, as well as the geopolitical tensions between Georgia and Russia are deeper factors that influence the environment for the law. Georgia made an application for EU membership in 2022, but this new law could endanger political progress that is necessary to fulfill the EU requirements.

These developments are all the more important when Georgia will hold parliamentary elections in autumn 2024. The protests against the law are part of a broader resistance to the government and its approach to Russia, which has sought increased control over civil society in recent years. Therefore, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming months.