Georgian Parliament Approved the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence

The Georgian parliament approved the controversial bill named ‘Transparency of Foreign Influence’ in the second reading as well. This situation led to large protests in the country.

The parliament in Georgia approved the bill in the second reading, which has been criticized for restricting freedom of expression and suppressing civil society organizations. The bill was passed with 83 votes in favor and 23 against. After the bill goes through 3 readings, it will be submitted to the president for approval.

The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, had announced that she would veto the bill. Opposition and civil society organizations have been referring to the bill as the ‘Russian law’ during protests that have been ongoing since April 15.