Russian authorities support Georgian foreign agents bill

Russia sharply criticized the latest statement of the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, who gave his assessment of the bill on foreign agents in Georgia, adopted in the first reading by Georgian parliamentarians the day before, and questioned the country's membership in the European Union.

Why does Borel teach the citizens of Georgia?
The head of the international committee of the Federation Council, Grigory Karasin, said that the head of European diplomacy acts beyond the boundaries of decency, trying to "impose his morals" to the citizens of Georgia, RIA Novosti reports.

"Calm Borrell down, please! He is imposing his morals again, this time he is putting pressure on the citizens of Georgia. This is already beyond the boundaries of decency!", Karasin wrote on his Telegram channel.

Georgia does not accept EU values?
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova also commented on Borrell's words about the bill on foreign agents in Georgia. She wrote the following on her Telegram account: the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, believes that the bill on foreign agents, which caused protests in Tbilisi, is incompatible with EU values and contradicts Georgia's goal of accession to the union.

"Now it is clear why the USA is not in the European Union yet. This bill has been in force there since 1938", Zakharova wrote.

Who benefits from protests?
The day before, a protest rally was held in front of the parliament's building in Tbilisi, the protesters opposed the adoption of the bill on foreign agents, which was approved by legislators in the first reading. 76 parliamentarians voted for the bill. Only 13 deputies did not support the initiative.

The bill"On Transparency of Foreign Influence" envisages the establishment of a register of non-governmental organizations, media and entities receiving funding from a foreign state. Representatives of the ruling party Georgian Dream, which make up the parliamentary majority, previously reported that they intended to support the new bill, although oppositionists believe that the bill is a "Russian version" and alienates the country from the EU.

The law is harsh, but it's the law
Today, Georgia has sent the bill on agents of foreign influence, adopted in the first reading the day before, to the Venice Commission, Irakli Kobakhidze, chairman of the ruling party Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia, said.

"The connection of this bill with obtaining the status of an EU member candidate is speculation for one simple reason. We expressed maximum respect for European institutions by sending this bill to the Venice Commission, as we promised", Kobakhidze said.

It should be noted that so far the Georgian parliament has adopted the first, milder version of the bill. A more harsh version of it, copied from the American bill, will also be adopted in the near future.

Let us remind you that on the eve, during the Parliament's meeting, thousands of protesters against the bill gathered in front of the parliament's building. The situation at the protest action escalated after the MPs' support for this document. The special forces used tear gas and water cannons against the protesters, the employees of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs detained 66 people near the Parliament in Tbilisi during the rally of opponents of the bill on foreign agents.