The parliament of Georgia has decided to cancel its Thursday plenary session in response to widespread protests against a proposed law that has raised concerns about media freedom and its impact on the country's European Union membership aspirations.
The decision to cancel the session comes after violent clashes between police and demonstrators on Wednesday, resulting in damage to the parliament building. Police used water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray to disperse tens of thousands of protesters.
The controversial bill, which was approved in its second reading on Wednesday, would require media and non-commercial organizations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
The bill's third and final reading was scheduled for mid-May, and it remains uncertain whether the cancellation of Thursday's session will impact its progress. Last year, a similar proposal was withdrawn by the ruling Georgian Dream party following large-scale demonstrations.
Protesters have dubbed the bill as “the Russian law,” drawing parallels to legislation in neighboring Russia that is used to target independent media outlets critical of the government.
Despite the bill receiving approval from a majority of lawmakers, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has publicly criticized it and vowed to veto the legislation if it is passed by Parliament. However, the governing party has the authority to override the veto and proceed with enacting the law.
The European Union's foreign policy arm has also expressed concerns about the reintroduction of the law by Georgian Dream, emphasizing the importance of media freedom in the country's EU accession process.
