Georgian parliament overrides presidential veto, adopts ‘foreign agents’ law amid protests

Tbilisi, Georgia

Georgia’s parliament on Tuesday (May 28) adopted the highly controversial “foreign agents” legislation, which has sparked weeks of protests and drawn international condemnation after overriding a veto by President Salome Zurabishvili who, among many others has called the law authoritarian and Russian-inspired. 

Presidential veto overridden

Lawmakers voted 84 to four to pass the bill after overriding the presidential veto. The move came as thousands had gathered outside Georgia’s parliament to protest the passage. Meanwhile, most of the opposition members walked out of the chamber ahead of the vote.

According to AFP, tensions were high in the parliament ahead of the vote with Opposition lawmaker Giorgi Vashadze doused with water as he gave a speech. The veto was overridden a day after parliament’s judiciary committee had rejected it. 

Meanwhile, several countries in Europe as well as the European Union criticised the decision as the legislation threatens the country’s bid to join the 27-nation bloc. 

On May 14, Georgia’s parliament adopted the highly controversial “foreign agents” bill, despite weeks of, often violent, protests with many including the country’s president calling it similar to a Russian law used by Moscow to crack down on NGOs and independent news media who are critical of the Kremlin. 

The so-called “foreign agents” law now requires organisations, including media outlets, nonprofits and other NGOs receiving more than 20 per cent of their funding from abroad to register as bodies “pursuing the interests of a foreign power.” 

Zourabichvili, who is among the critics of the bill, vetoed the legislation days after it was passed in parliament by lawmakers of the ruling Georgian Dream party and its allies. 

Watch: Protests outside Georgian parliament

Ahead of the vote, thousands of demonstrators had gathered outside the parliament to protest the legislation. “Russian slaves!” the crowd was shouting during the vote, as per AFP. 

Georgia has witnessed a wave of unprecedented protests for the past seven weeks or so after the Georgian Dream party revived the plans to adopt so-called Russian-inspired measures it had dropped last year after public outcry. 

“I think we were all expecting this outcome, but I feel so angry, I feel so frustrated. The most important thing right now is to not lose hope,” protester Lizi Kenchoshvili, 23, told AFP outside parliament minutes after the vote. 

A video reportedly shot outside the Georgian parliament also shows Opposition MPs on a stage reading out the names of the 84 lawmakers who voted in favour of the Russian-inspired law. The crowd can be heard whistling and booing as the names are read out. 

At one point Georgia’s interior ministry took to X and asked protesters to allow members of the parliament to leave the building “without interruption.”

Leader of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, Tina Bokuchava, called on the opposition parties to rally together to rescind the legislation before the elections. 

Parliamentary elections in the country are scheduled to be held on October 26. 

International criticism

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said that he “deeply regrets” the Georgian parliament’s adoption of the controversial legislation and warned that it would affect the country’s efforts to join the 27-nation bloc. 

“The EU and its member states are considering all options to react to these developments,” said Borrell, in a statement. A report by Reuters citing a poll also said that Georgia’s 3.7 million people back EU accession. 

Last week, the United States announced travel sanctions against Georgian officials “who are responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia.” The move has since been criticised by Tbilisi. 

After the legislation was adopted, ministers from European nations and the three Baltic countries, in separate statements, criticised the decision. 

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

Meanwhile, Danish foreign minister Lars Rasmussen warned that unless the ruling party changes its course “Georgia will not advance on path to EU membership.”

(With inputs from agencies)