Ursula von der Leyen  urges Georgia to stay on European path amid Tbilisi mass rallies

President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen says she is following the situation in Georgia “with great concern and condemning the violence on the streets of Tbilisi.”

“The Georgian people want a European future for their country. Georgia is at a crossroads. It should stay the course on the road to Europe,” von der Leyen tweeted.

Georgia witnessed renewed protests in recent weeks over the controversial transparency of the foreign influence bill, which was reintroduced in April 2024. This bill, echoing a similar one withdrawn last year due to public pressure, requires NGOs and media outlets receiving significant foreign funding to register as agents of foreign powers.

Civil society groups fear this legislation will stigmatize independent voices and restrict their ability to operate freely. Protests have been characterized by large crowds gathering outside parliament buildings, chanting slogans against the bill, and demanding its withdrawal. While the government maintains that transparency requirements are necessary, opposition groups are planning further demonstrations and lobbying efforts to block the bill’s passage. Anti-transparency bill protests have been going on for weeks now.

Thousands of people take to the streets each day to protest the bill’s passage, which is expected to finally become law in a matter of four weeks. Georgian Parliament is expected to adopt a law in three weeks. Then President Zourabichvili will veto it, but the parliamentary majority is expected to overcome the veto, after which the bill will become the law of the land.

Via Georgian Public Broadcasting Service