٠٠:٠٢:٣٥Mandatory credit: Georgian Parliament Press Service
Members of the Georgian Parliament were seen starting a brawl as they discussed a draft law on 'Transparency of Foreign Influence' in Tbilisi on Monday.
Footage shows Citizens party leader Aleko Elisashvili running up to Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and punching him in the face, after which other MPs joined the fight.
Mdinaradze noted that those who were against the foreign agents bill did not take into account that similar laws exist not only in Russia, but also in other countries. In particular, he mentioned the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the US.
"You don't mention other countries [except Russia], and I've listed other countries. It doesn't say that it [the bill] is Russian, it says that in other countries also... Now, as for FARA, there was an analogue of it last year, and you called it Russian," the deputy said.
The draft law, entitled 'On Transparency of Foreign Influence', was submitted to parliament by deputies of the People’s Power opposition movement on February 14, 2023. It includes the creation of a list of non-governmental organisations, media groups and other entities receiving funding from foreign states.
On February 27, 2023, the People's Power submitted a second version of a bill, 'on the registration of foreign agents', based on the US system. The US version of the bill could see both legal entities and individuals receiving funding from abroad registered as 'agents of foreign influence', and includes criminal liability.
In early March 2023, the Georgian parliament adopted the first version of the draft law in its first reading. However, the bill was aborted due to mass protests in the capital.
On April 3, 2024, MP Mdinaradze announced the reintroduction of the bill in parliament.
Georgian MPs brawl as Parliament discusses 'foreign agent' transparency bill
Members of the Georgian Parliament were seen starting a brawl as they discussed a draft law on 'Transparency of Foreign Influence' in Tbilisi on Monday.
Footage shows Citizens party leader Aleko Elisashvili running up to Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and punching him in the face, after which other MPs joined the fight.
Mdinaradze noted that those who were against the foreign agents bill did not take into account that similar laws exist not only in Russia, but also in other countries. In particular, he mentioned the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the US.
"You don't mention other countries [except Russia], and I've listed other countries. It doesn't say that it [the bill] is Russian, it says that in other countries also... Now, as for FARA, there was an analogue of it last year, and you called it Russian," the deputy said.
The draft law, entitled 'On Transparency of Foreign Influence', was submitted to parliament by deputies of the People’s Power opposition movement on February 14, 2023. It includes the creation of a list of non-governmental organisations, media groups and other entities receiving funding from foreign states.
On February 27, 2023, the People's Power submitted a second version of a bill, 'on the registration of foreign agents', based on the US system. The US version of the bill could see both legal entities and individuals receiving funding from abroad registered as 'agents of foreign influence', and includes criminal liability.
In early March 2023, the Georgian parliament adopted the first version of the draft law in its first reading. However, the bill was aborted due to mass protests in the capital.
On April 3, 2024, MP Mdinaradze announced the reintroduction of the bill in parliament.
Mandatory credit: Georgian Parliament Press Service
Members of the Georgian Parliament were seen starting a brawl as they discussed a draft law on 'Transparency of Foreign Influence' in Tbilisi on Monday.
Footage shows Citizens party leader Aleko Elisashvili running up to Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and punching him in the face, after which other MPs joined the fight.
Mdinaradze noted that those who were against the foreign agents bill did not take into account that similar laws exist not only in Russia, but also in other countries. In particular, he mentioned the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the US.
"You don't mention other countries [except Russia], and I've listed other countries. It doesn't say that it [the bill] is Russian, it says that in other countries also... Now, as for FARA, there was an analogue of it last year, and you called it Russian," the deputy said.
The draft law, entitled 'On Transparency of Foreign Influence', was submitted to parliament by deputies of the People’s Power opposition movement on February 14, 2023. It includes the creation of a list of non-governmental organisations, media groups and other entities receiving funding from foreign states.
On February 27, 2023, the People's Power submitted a second version of a bill, 'on the registration of foreign agents', based on the US system. The US version of the bill could see both legal entities and individuals receiving funding from abroad registered as 'agents of foreign influence', and includes criminal liability.
In early March 2023, the Georgian parliament adopted the first version of the draft law in its first reading. However, the bill was aborted due to mass protests in the capital.
On April 3, 2024, MP Mdinaradze announced the reintroduction of the bill in parliament.