Georgian MPs fail to pass draft law on transparency of foreign influence

Members of the Georgian Parliament failed to pass the draft law on the transparency of foreign influence.

Thus, one member of the parliament voted in favor of the bill, 35 voted against it, and 58 MPs abstained from voting. As many as 112 members of parliament were registered for the meeting.

The Georgian version of the law 'On the transparency of foreign influence' was adopted by the Parliament in the first reading on March 7. Then the draft was supported by 76 MPs and opposed by 13 MPs.

This action was followed by a larger protest, which turned into a confrontation with the police. During the protest, the rally participants threw Molotov cocktails at the special forces. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Following two days after the rally in the center of Tbilisi, the ruling party "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia" and the initiators of the bills on 'foreign agents' – the "Power of the People" NGO decided to withdraw them.

According to the regulations, in order to withdraw the bill, it was necessary to fail it at the second hearing, which happened.

Along with the above-mentioned bill, the representatives of "Power of the People" also initiated the second, US version of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The document was not considered during the plenary session.

Thus, in accordance with the regulations, the initiators submitted a written appeal to the Bureau of Parliament, which satisfied the demand to withdraw the bill on March 10.