Thousands demonstrated against the new proposal for a “customer law” in Georgia – NRK Urix – Foreign news and documentaries

“I don't want to be another brick in the Russian wall!”

“Remember who the real enemy is!”

Those are two of the battle cries that rang out from a huge crowd in the Georgian capital late Sunday evening.

Thousands of demonstrators marched through Tbilisi to demonstrate against the “proxy law” proposal that will be debated again in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

If the bill passes, it would mean that organizations in Georgia that derive more than 20% of their income from abroad would have to register themselves as “foreign clients.”

Those who cheat will be fined.

The ruling party, Georgian Dream, was forced to drop a similar bill at this time last year. Even then, thousands of people gathered in the streets to stop it.

Critics compare the proposal to Russian legislation, which led to the ban of many charities in Russia.

An obstacle to the European Union's ambition

The EU Parliament has been clear that the bill cannot be integrated with European values ​​and must be withdrawn until Georgia's potential membership can be approved.

But Georgia is unlikely to become a member of the European Union in the near future, the head of the ruling party said about a week ago.

– Last December we became a candidate country. The next step is to join, Irakli Garibashvili said According to Politico.

Today we are not ready to become a member state.

Nearly 80 percent of Georgian people want the country to join the European Union, according to a National Democratic Institute poll conducted in December.

-I want to show the family where I stand

Protester Nika Churjaya told Reuters that there are hundreds of these charities that have done a lot of good for Georgia. It is feared that many of them will be closed.

The news agency also met Levan Jobava in the crowd on Sunday evening.

– I want to show the family my position: No to Russia, and that our path and future lies in Europe, because we need the European legal system and the European system.

– There is a regime that controls the people and not the other way around.