Georgia at the crossroads as foreign influence law deepens divisions
Tensions in Georgia over a divisive foreign influence law have exploded onto the streets, with protests against it occurring on an almost daily basis. Valerie Gauriat went to the country to find out more, for Euronews Witness.
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00:00Tens of thousands of people have mobilized in Georgia for weeks against the law on foreign influence passed in force in the parliament.
00:12The European-Georgian future is in peril.
00:16This law is against democracy, against human rights.
00:20We are worried about our country and we don't want the Russian system.
00:26The law affirms that the detractors would be inspired by Moscow and risk compromising the European destiny of the country.
00:33May 14, 2014, Georgia adopted the Law on Foreign Influence Transparency in its third reading after more than a month of explosive debates and almost daily demonstrations.
00:56Thousands of people denounce what they call the Russian law in reference to a law in force in Russia that is critical.
01:06The text must impose on any entity whose more than 20% of the funds come from abroad to register as an organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power and to submit to an administrative control of the state.
01:21Some 25,000 NGOs operating in all sectors of activity are concerned.
01:25Among the most concerned are organizations dedicated to the defense of the rule of law and independent media.
01:31Nino Dolidze heads an organization that monitors elections in Georgia.
01:37Lika Zakashvili is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of a respected online media.
01:43Their organizations depend on European and American funding.
01:48The two women are regularly the subject of threats and intimidation.
01:53This government just decided to shut down all the organizations who are talking about the problems because they see that it's kind of threat for them to maintain the power.
02:04Our goal is to support free and fair elections of our country and it is not the interest of any other country.
02:10This is just done to stigmatize us.
02:14The interest of foreign power is a negative connotation in our reality.
02:20This means that we are agents of foreign power.
02:24And the work of agents of foreign power is only to intimidate and intimidate the media.
02:30According to the law, the Minister of Justice has the right to interfere in the organization and work on personal information.
02:42It is dangerous to interfere in the work of media organizations.
02:47Because we are responsible for our own private information.
02:50And this is the right of all citizens of this country.
03:00And it is ending up with shutting down the organizations which are working on free and fair elections, corruption, independence of judiciary, helping human rights, working on rule of law and kind of all watchdog type of activities.
03:14And finally, they are really okay that this kind of organizations will be just shutting down and they will silence all free voices.
03:22The government and its party deny any similarity with the Russian legislation.
03:26And they judge without basis the fears of the European leaders who ask for the withdrawal of the law.
03:31Brussels has warned that the process of adhesion of Georgia to the European Union, started last winter, could be affected.
03:39A false trial assures the committee responsible for the European integration of the Georgian dream party.
03:51The financing of these organizations.
03:53Today we are talking about increased participation of these organizations in the political decision making process of Georgia.
04:02It is important to have full transparency for our citizens who is behind and what is behind the political positions they are voicing.
04:12This is about registering organizations.
04:15That article where they have obligation to register says that this law cannot be used against the functioning of civil society organizations.
04:25And we are ready to discuss any legal comments or recommendations regarding this legislation if we need to bring it closer to European standards.
04:35Yes, we are ready to do that.
04:38The Russian inspiration of the law on foreign influence, however, makes no doubt for the Georgian president.
04:45She opposed her veto and asks for the pure and simple abrogation.
04:50A veto that the party in power can however bypass by a new vote in parliament.
04:56It is the essence of the law that is perverted.
04:59It is the law that decrees our partners for 30 years and European or American friends as those who are suspected of wanting to destabilize the country.
05:10And that constitutes a real obstacle, I even used the word sabotage and I can reuse it, of our European way.
05:18The optimistic side is that there is a civil society that has shown itself.
05:21And that should allow us to move on to the next step, which is the preparation of the elections on October 26.
05:29Because it is imperative to transform this energy today that will not lead to the withdrawal of the law.
05:36This law will pass, the veto will be bypassed or it will be modified in a marginal and uninteresting way.
05:44So the important thing today is to go to the elections.
05:48Through elections we will have a referendum on Europe.
05:51The European Union must say very clearly that the country will not be sanctioned as long as its response is not known in the polls.
06:02According to the polls, more than 80% of Georgians want to see their country join the European Union.
06:08But an ideological battle is being played between the supporters of the Western model and the most conservative branch of the country, largely in favor of the government.
06:22The crowd gathered for the Family Values Day, created a few years ago by the Orthodox Church in response to Gay Pride.
06:31Gay Pride, which has been canceled today, is also the World Day Against Homophobia.
06:36And anti-law demonstrations have also been canceled to avoid all affronts.
06:46Decreed this year as a National Day by the government, the celebration brought together several tens of thousands of people.
06:55It is very difficult to organize this event, but it is very important and important that we are united and stand up for our Georgian principles and values.
07:04This is the only way forward.
07:07A procession, of which most of the participants were far from approving the wave of protests caused by the law on foreign influence.
07:16I am not afraid. I am not afraid of defeat.
07:19I am one of those who are in the streets, who are in the streets, who are responsible, who are responsible for the generation of people.
07:28I am not afraid, I am not afraid to stand up for the mission.
07:33If this happens in Europe, then we will not die.
07:38This protest is against the law.
07:42I do not want to destroy my home.
07:45I do not want to destroy any kind of tradition that I still have in my house.
07:48It is a very important issue.
07:51It should be noted that it was not the first time.
07:54I am really sorry for the children, who have been rejected.
07:59At the forefront of the Georgian protest, Generation Z does not intend to release the pressure.
08:06A student in sociology, Megi is 22 years old and is part of all the protests.
08:12She welcomes us at her home with her sister Nelly.
08:18In this protest, we want to show that there is a lot of young people and that there is a lot of unity.
08:26We want to show that the situation is changing and we want to change it for the better.
08:31I am not a woman, I am not a man.
08:34I don't want to say that I am a woman, but I want to say that I am a woman.
08:37I don't want to say that I am a woman, but I want to say that I am a woman.
08:41This is not a violation of the law, this is a violation of the regime.
08:46This is Europe.
08:52As almost every day, since the beginning of the mobilization,
08:55the two young women, with a megaphone in their hands,
08:57go to the traditional meetings of the protesters in front of the parliament.
09:02For the first time, the doctors came to talk about the possible impact of the law
09:07not only on the financing of the health system, but also on the integrity of their profession.
09:13We won't be able to have the doctor-patient confidentiality
09:17because they force us to give all the information.
09:20It brings nothing good for our country, but I truly believe that this is temporary
09:26and Georgian people will speak up during the election.
09:34We are going to gather here every day.
09:37We need to fight and for the election we are preparing
09:43because we want to live in a free country.
09:56For more information, visit www.fema.org