Georgia’s Parliament Presses Forward With ‘Foreign Agent’ Bill Despite Protests

Outside parliament on Monday, protesters chanted slogans against what they called “the Russian law”, and shouted “Russians! Russians!” at police and ruling party MPs.

Inside the chamber, opposition MP Aleko Elisashvili was shown on television punching Mamuka Mdinaradze, faction leader of Georgian Dream, as he spoke from the despatch box.

Protesters against the bill told Reuters that they saw Georgia’s future membership of the EU, which is overwhelmingly popular in the country of 3.7 million, as being on the line.

“I don’t like that the government is trying to suppress NGOs and put some labels on them as if they are foreign agents,” said Luka Tsulaia, a 32-year-old computer programmer.

“It’s about maintaining independence and also maintaining the laws so that we can integrate with the European Union better.”

Aleko Elisashvili and NED:

Democracy Needs Democrats: Strengthening Political Parties and Movements (archived)

The Eastern European Centre for Multiparty Democracy (EECMD), with the financial support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), carries out a new project, “Democracy Needs Democrats: Strengthening Political Parties and Movements”. 

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The EECMD will work with four political parties/movements – “Aleko Elisashvili – Citizens,” “For Justice,” “Lelo for Georgia,” and “Shame Movement” – to advance the results of the previous project and implement the sections of the action plans developed through the strategic planning process.

Interview with Levan Ioseliani (archived)

Levan Ioseliani represents the Civil Movement, an NGO established by himself and Alexander (Aleko) Elisashvili.

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After Aleko’s results, we held meetings in Brussels, where EED [European Endowment For Democracy] took an interest in financing a movement that would advocate civil ideas and would help new people get involved in the politics. Our second donor is NED [National Endowment for Democracy]. We established the Civil Movement with Alexander Elisashvili.

This won’t be the end of it. Elections are coming up in October.

2023 Timeline:

[12-01-2023] NED: Georgia, still in their crosshairs

[10-07-2023] A Maidan 2.0 Color Revolution Looms in Georgia

[04-10-2023] Regime Change Continues: Thousands Rally in Georgia’s Tbilisi Against Government

[03-12-2023] The Color of Foreign Influence

[03-09-2023] Georgia Protests: US Seeks to Open 2nd Front Against Russia

[03-08-2023] Daily pictures: Maidan 2.0 in Georgia?

[01-27-2023] “Orange” president says Georgia owes Ukraine one war for another. Calls for new “Rose” coup.

U.S. Wars and Hostile Actions (WW2 – 2014)