Georgian parliament passes ‘foreign agent’ bill amid protests

Georgian parliament passes ‘foreign agent’ bill amid protests

Georgia’s parliament passed a “foreign agents” bill in its final reading, which now goes to President Salome Zourabichvili for approval. The bill requires organizations receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. Critics have compared the bill to Russian legislation and have called for further protests. The European Union has warned that the bill could hinder Georgia’s integration with the bloc. Despite opposition, the ruling party in Georgia insists that the bill is necessary for transparency and to combat foreign influence.