Georgian Parliament to consider bill on foreign agents in 3rd reading on May 13

On May 13, the Parliament of Georgia will consider the bill “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” in the third and final reading, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs Anri Okhanashvili told journalists, Report informs via Interfax.

“The bill will be put to a vote in the third reading on May 13, which is only about editorial amendments,” he said.

Opponents of the adoption of the law on foreign agents intend to start a large-scale rally near parliament on May 11, counting on the participation of opposition supporters from the regions.

One of the opposition leaders, Giorgi Vashadze, told reporters that if the law is adopted, the United States will impose personal sanctions against MPs who vote for the document, as well as against the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.

On May 1, the Georgian parliament adopted the bill in the second reading. The arguments of opposition MPs to block the document turned out to be insufficient for the parliamentary majority.

The crisis around the bill in Georgia has been going on for more than 20 days. Protests against the adoption of the document are held daily in Tbilisi. The protesters say they will not allow the country's pro-European course to change.