Georgia at a Crossroads

Once a fiercely independent regional dealmaker, Georgia is once again falling under Russia's influence. Its people are apparently not happy about it.

Protesters and police standoff in the street of Tbilisi amid the controversial adoption of the “foreign agents” law. Image source

On May 14 – 15, tens of thousands took to the streets in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, disrupting traffic near the national parliament where lawmakers debated the controversial “foreign agents bill”. Police used tear gas to disperse some gatherings, detaining dozens of people. These were the latest protests against the controversial bill, which passed into law on May 15 following weeks of demonstrations. The new law requires that media companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) officially register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive over 20% of their funding from abroad. Critics allege that the bill is a Moscow-sponsored plot to subvert dissent in Georgia, given similar legislation in Russia.

The Georgian government’s adoption of the controversial bill has amplified Western fears of growing Russian interference in the country. On May 14, Washington announced it would pull development funding from Georgia and threatened members of the Georgian government with sanctions if the bill passed. Meanwhile, the EU made an official statement claiming the bill negatively impacts Georgia’s progress towards EU membership. These growing concerns come amid an apparent Russian campaign to gain regional influence, such as cyber and disinformation attacks in Moldova in recent months. In this way, the recently adopted Georgian bill potentially signals the country’s slip into Moscow’s orbit and could have far-reaching regional consequences.