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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Lili Bayer

Georgia’s parliament votes to override presidential veto of controversial ‘foreign agents’ law – as it happened

European Union Georgia Michael Roth Salome Zourabichvili
Demonstrators protesting the
Demonstrators protesting the "foreign influence" law crowd outside the parliament building in central Tbilisi on Tuesday Photograph: Vano Shlamov/AFP/Getty Images

Summary of the day

  • Georgia’s parliament overrode a presidential veto of the controversial ‘foreign agents’ law.

  • The law, which has been heavily criticised domestically and internationally, will require organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence.

  • Critics have dubbed the legislation the ‘Russian law’ and say it will undermine independent civil society and move Georgia further away from the west.

  • Protesters have gathered outside of Georgia’s parliament.

  • In a statement, the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, together with the European Commission, said “the EU and its Member States are considering all options to react to these developments.”

  • The statement also noted that “we continue to stand with the Georgian people and recognise the choice of overwhelming majority of them for a European future for their country.”

  • Tina Bokuchava, parliamentary leader of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, said that “ahead of October’s elections, it is essential that opposition leaders rally together to rescind this Kremlin-inspired law and get Georgia back on the European track.”

  • Michael Roth, the chair of the German Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee, said it’s “a sad day for Georgia and Europe” and called on Georgians not to give up.

  • Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the Danish foreign minister, said that “unless the ruling party changes its course of action, Georgia will not advance on path to EU membership.”

  • Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Lithuanian foreign minister, said “the passing of this law effectively puts Georgia’s accession to the EU on hold, with no benefit for anybody. Almost anybody.”

  • Baiba Braže, Latvia’s foreign minister, said that “last year the EU gave a chance to Georgia by granting her a candidate status. This was a historical moment for Georgia and clearly supported by its people. Sad day.”

  • Margus Tsahkna, the Estonian foreign minister, said “we are dismayed by Georgia’s Parliament’s choice not to use the historic opportunity to move on with the European integration & to leave its people in the enlargement waiting room for indefinite future.”

Anna Fotyga, a Polish member of the European parliament, said “it should be the Georgian Dream leadership that pays the price for its harmful policy of rapprochement with the bloody Kremlin regime.”

“We shouldn’t punish the people of Georgia, who, despite repressions, are courageously upholding their desire to join Euro-Atlantic institutions,” she added.

Protests are continuing outside Georgia’s parliament.

'Sad day,' Latvian minister says

Baiba Braže, Latvia’s foreign minister, said she deeply regrets the Georgian parliament’s decision.

“Last year the EU gave a chance to Georgia by granting her a candidate status. This was a historical moment for Georgia and clearly supported by its people. Sad day,” she said.

Protesters are booing MPs from the ruling Georgian Dream party who voted in favour of overriding the presidential veto.

“We hope to see Georgia join the European family of independent democracies & stand by the people in their wish for a European future for their country,” Norway’s foreign ministry has said.

EU 'considering all options', Borrell and Commission say

Josep Borrell, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, has issued a statement together with the European Commission.

The European Union deeply regrets that the Georgian Parliament decided to override the President’s veto on the law on transparency of foreign influence, and to disregard the Venice Commission’s detailed legal arguments leading to a clear recommendation to repeal this law.

The EU has stressed repeatedly that the law adopted by the Georgian Parliament goes against EU core principles and values. Its enactment leads to a backsliding on at least three out of the nine steps (on disinformation; on polarisation; on fundamental rights and involvement of Civil Society Organisations) set out in the Commission’s recommendation for candidate status endorsed by EU leaders and will negatively impact Georgia’s EU path.

Beyond the law on transparency of foreign influence, there has been so far insufficient political attention mobilised to progress substantially on the nine steps.

We urge the Georgian authorities to reverse this trend and to return firmly on the EU path. There is still time to change the dynamics – but a strong commitment by the governing authorities is needed.

The EU and its Member States are considering all options to react to these developments.

We continue to stand with the Georgian people and recognise the choice of overwhelming majority of them for a European future for their country.

Updated

Opposition should rally together, United National Movement says

Tina Bokuchava, parliamentary leader of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, said that “by overriding the presidential veto and enacting this law, the Ivanishvili government is trying to deprive the Georgian people of their European future.”

“Georgia’s European aspirations can be safeguarded only through regime change,” Bokuchava said, adding: “ahead of October’s elections, it is essential that opposition leaders rally together to rescind this Kremlin-inspired law and get Georgia back on the European track.”

Updated

Georgian in 'enlargement waiting room for indefinite future', Estonian minister says

Margus Tsahkna, the Estonian foreign minister, said “we are dismayed by Georgia’s Parliament’s choice not to use the historic opportunity to move on with the European integration & to leave its people in the enlargement waiting room for indefinite future.”

Georgia's EU accession effectively 'on hold', Lithuanian minister says

Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Lithuanian foreign minister, has also spoken out about today’s vote.

“A very sad day for Georgia and the rest of Europe. The passing of this law effectively puts Georgia’s accession to the EU on hold, with no benefit for anybody. Almost anybody,” he said.

'Sad day for Georgia and Europe': Senior German lawmaker tells Georgians not to give up

Michael Roth, the chair of the German Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee, said it’s “a sad day for Georgia and Europe.”

“I stand with all Georgians fighting peacefully for freedom, democracy and dignity. Don’t forget: ‘when they go low, we go high.’ Don’t give up. Elections come soon,” he said.

'Georgia will not advance': Danish minister reacts to vote

Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, has reacted to the Georgian parliament’s vote.

“Despite popular opposition and international appeals, Georgia’s ruling party has today passed the foreign agent law to silence opposition, media and NGOs. Unless the ruling party changes its course of action, Georgia will not advance on path to EU membership,” he said.

Georgia’s interior ministry has asked protesters to allow members of parliament to leave the building.

Police are mobilised and protesters are outside the building, after Georgia’s parliament overrode a presidential veto and approved the controversial ‘foreign agents’ law.

Georgia's parliament votes to override presidential veto of controversial 'foreign agents' law

The Georgian parliament has voted to override the presidential veto of the ‘foreign agents’ law despite widespread protests and international criticism.

Updated

Here’s footage from Tbilisi, as protesters watch developments in parliament.

Here are the latest images from Tbilisi.

Georgian parliament speaker defends controversial law

Shalva Papuashvili, the speaker of the Georgian parliament from the ruling Georgian Dream party, has issued a lengthy letter to his European counterparts defending the controversial ‘foreign agents’ law.

“What continues frustrating us, is the stigmatization of this Law by internal and external actors as well as their tendency for jumping to quick conclusions,” he wrote.

“I am confident that the time will show only one thing about the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence (attached to the letter) – its only purpose is to maintain integrity of political, economic and security systems and to strengthen resilience of Georgia in face of threats,” he argued.

Zuka Elbakidze, a student who was among protesters rallying in Tbilisi ahead of today’s vote, told the Associated Press that “this day will determine the fate of our country,” adding that “we are making a choice between Europe and Russia, and all the people gathered here, except the policemen, want Europe and the West.”

“We are physically witnessing, literally witnessing, how Georgian citizens, how members of the Georgian Parliament are selling out our country,” said another protester, Mariam Geguchadze.

Here’s more footage of protesters who have gathered outside Georgia’s parliament.

Irakli Kadagishvili, chair of the Georgian parliament’s committee on procedural issues, said today that legislative activity of a sovereign country was “not subject to any sanctions by any international standards.”

“Today, we will have to override the [president’s] veto on the transparency law,” he said.

The ruling Georgian Dream party’s X account reposted the comments.

Here are more images from Tbilisi today.

Last week, the speakers of seven European parliaments called on Georgia’s parliament to withdraw the controversial ‘foreign agents’ law.

Footage from Georgia earlier today.

There are reports of masked police in the Georgian parliament building.

Here are the latest images from Tbilisi.

Why is Georgia’s foreign agents law so controversial?

Under the law, non-governmental organisations and media outlets that receive more than 20% of their funds from donors outside the country would be obliged to register as organisations “bearing the interests of a foreign power”.

The organisations would also face reporting requirements and could be forced to share sensitive information. And they would be heavily penalised for non-compliance.

Civil society groups, along with many Georgians, have expressed outrage about the legislation.

Opponents of the law say there is little funding available within Georgia outside government and political groups, and that foreign funding helps maintain an independent civil society sector. Some NGO leaders have said they would refuse to register under the new law.

But there is also a sense now in Georgia that the crisis is about much more than NGOs and the media, and that the country’s future – including its democracy and relationship with the west – is at stake.

Read the full explainer here.

Protesters gather in Tbilisi

Opponents of Georgia’s ‘foreign agents’ law are expecting protests to grow over the coming hours.

Senior German lawmaker asks Georgian MPs to 'take the chance'

Michael Roth, chairman of the German Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee, has called on Georgian lawmakers to vote against the law.

“The message of the Georgian people is crystal clear: Stop the foreign agent law! Dear colleagues of the Georgian Parliament, Take the chance today! Bring your great country back on track,” he said.

Georgia's parliament to vote on overriding ‘foreign agents’ law veto

Georgia’s parliament is expected to vote today on whether to override a presidential veto of a highly controversial ‘foreign agents’ law which has sparked mass protests and condemnation from western governments.

Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s president, said she vetoed the legislation because “this law, in its essence and spirit, is fundamentally Russian, contradicting our constitution and all European standards. It thus represents an obstacle to our European path.”

A parliamentary committee on Monday rejected the veto, and the full plenary is set to make a decision today.

Protesters are outside Georgia’s parliament to show their opposition to the law, which has taken on a highly symbolic meaning. Critics of the law say its approval would be a major step away from the path of western integration.

“The law on foreign influence is not in line with EU values,” the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said this week. “If the law is enacted, it will impact Georgia’s EU path,” he stressed.

Welcome to the blog

Good morning and welcome back to the blog.

Send thoughts and tips to lili.bayer@theguardian.com.

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