Georgia to drop foreign agents bill after massive protests

Georgia's ruling party said Thursday it would withdraw a bill that opponents warned would stifle dissent and curtail media freedoms, after days of massive protests demanding it be dropped.

The bill would have required media and nongovernmental organizations that receive over 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as "agents of foreign influence." Its opponents argued that it was inspired by a similar law in Russia that is used by authorities there to silence critics and that it could hinder Georgia's aspirations to join NATO and the European Union.

Protests of the bill began last week, but swelled in recent days to bring tens of thousands of people to the streets of the capital, Tbilisi — and were met with tear gas and water cannons. The Interior Ministry said 133 demonstrators have been arrested.

Citing the "controversy in society" the bill triggered, the Georgian Dream party and its allies said they would withdraw the proposed law. But that process might be complicated since it has already passed its first of three required readings. A group of activists spearheading the protests said that demonstrations would resume on Thursday evening to ensure the bill is actually abandoned. They are also demanding the release of those arrested.

Georgia's president, Salome Zourabichvili, had already said she would veto the bill — a move that indicated a growing divide between her and the Georgian Dream. Zourabichvili does not belong to any party, but the ruling one backed her candidacy in the 2018 presidential election. Since assuming office, however, she has increasingly disagreed with their decisions and policies, especially when it comes to foreign affairs.

Though they agreed to withdraw the bill, the Georgian Dream party...