People in the Georgian capital Tbilisi are protesting against a law on foreign funding of organizations. Destabilizing the country on Russia’s southern border could be in US interests.
Demonstrators stormed the parliament building in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. The reason for this: a controversial draft law. Georgian MPs voted 76 to 13 in favor of a bill that would require all organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents.” The other proposal under discussion was modeled after the American FARA law, enacted in the 1930s, which would have applied to individuals and provided for criminal sanctions.
Mass protests are taking place in Georgia after the country’s parliament passed a bill designating NGO’s and media that receive more than 20% of their funding comes from abroad as “foreign agents”.
The people protesting? The foreign agents.pic.twitter.com/WjJkZVWqvD
— Gonzalo Lira (@GonzaloLira1968) March 8, 2023
A similar law has been in force in Russia since 2012, for which the Kremlin has been sharply criticized in the West – even if the United States also has such a regulation. But what applies in the USA should not necessarily apply in other countries. At least that’s what one might think, based on Western reactions to it. Because Washington (as well as Brussels and London) – like various Western NGOs – like to use various organizations in the former Soviet republics to use “soft power” to influence civil society and their voting behavior. George Soros’ Open Society Foundations and the US State Department-funded USAID, for example, are notorious proponents of this.
Pose for “iconic” Western propaganda media shot. When democracy goes against the US interests USAID creates an insurrection…this time in #Georgia.
We have already seen these ‘peaceful protests’ with cocktails and Vicky Nuland handing out cookies once. pic.twitter.com/jY1VPvGXrH
— Mats Nilsson (@mazzenilsson) March 7, 2023
The British press has sided with French-born Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who is currently in the United States, over the law and wants to veto the law. Even if the parliament, which is dominated by the ruling party “Georgian Dream”, can pass a resolution to remain in power and this law will come into force without their signature. The law would make it easier for western organizations and governments to exert influence in the former Soviet republic. However, this also applies to Russian or Chinese funds flowing into Georgia.
It can be assumed that the Western-supported groups and organizations in Georgen called for this storm of protests. After all, they have the most to lose. Hence the massive criticism from Washington, which already accuses the governing party of being “close to the Kremlin”. “We remain deeply concerned about the Foreign Agents Law precisely because it would stigmatize and silence independent voices and citizens of Georgia who work to build a better country for their fellow citizens and for their communities. We are deeply concerned about the potential impact of this law on freedom of expression and democracy in Georgia,” said US State Department spokesman Ned Price. But what impact does the same law have on freedom of expression and democracy in the United States, where general hysteria over alleged “Russian electoral interference” has still not completely subsided?
Woman holding an EU flag facing water cannon by herself. Happening now in #Tbilisi. Georgian people are out in the streets to defend the country’s European future amid ruling party’s adoption of Russian foreign agent law.
Georgia’s future will be European. #NoToRussianLaw pic.twitter.com/7sYqAUfmBw
— Katie Shoshiashvili (@KShoshiashvili) March 7, 2023
But the protests are apparently aimed at deposing Georgia’s prime minister, Irakli Garibashvili. Because he insists that his “balanced” Russia policy aims to ensure “peace and stability”. Given that Moscow supports the two breakaway territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the installation of a strictly pro-Western government is in Washington’s interest. This could rekindle the conflict over the two self-proclaimed republics and thus provoke military intervention by Moscow, which would also have a negative impact on the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Are these protests just “out of the blue” or were they deliberately fueled from outside? Cui bono?