Governing Georgian Dream party can still force the controversial legislation through parliament.
The Georgian government’s plans to brand Western-funded NGOs, media outlets and campaign groups as “foreign agents” were rejected by the country’s president on Saturday, but the ruling party vows to pass them into law despite widespread public protests and international outcry.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital of Tbilisi on Saturday, President Salome Zurabishvili confirmed she had vetoed the bill — which was awaiting her signature after being passed in parliament earlier this week. Critics say the proposals, which would apply to organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad, are similar to ones used by the Kremlin to quash dissent in Russia.
“This law is, in its essence, in its spirit, a Russian law, which contradicts our constitution and all European standards, and is an obstacle to the European path,” Zurabishvili said.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
TBILISI — The Georgian government’s plans to brand Western-funded NGOs, media outlets and campaign groups as “foreign agents” were rejected by the country’s president on Saturday, but the ruling party vows to pass them into law despite widespread public protests and international outcry.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital of Tbilisi on Saturday, President Salome Zurabishvili confirmed she had vetoed the bill — which was awaiting her signature after being passed in parliament earlier this week.
MPs backed the legislation, introduced by the governing Georgian Dream party, by 84 votes to 30 on Tuesday, despite warnings from Brussels that the proposed law would effectively torpedo the South Caucasus country’s hopes of joining the EU.
The European Commission awarded Georgia candidate status in December, despite warnings of backsliding on human rights and a failure to implement key reforms.
Riot police with shields, tear gas and water cannon have charged peaceful protesters and swooped in to arrest organizers and opposition politicians.
Following the veto, European Council President Charles Michel said that it should give the government “a moment for further reflection” to ensure the bill did not scupper Georgia’s road to the EU.
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