02:11Mandatory credit: Georgian Parliament Press Service
Agmashenebeli Strategy Party Chairman Giorgi Vashadze was sprayed with water by Georgian Dream MP Irma Zavradashvili during a session in Tbilisi on Tuesday, as the opposition lawmaker criticised the latest 'foreign agent' legislation.
"When the whole world hears the Georgian people, the Georgian Dream, a political group controlled by one man [referring to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party], tries to silence them. They talk about sovereignty and 'Russian law,'" Vashadze remarked. "This water will do nothing to me and nothing to the Georgian people."
Earlier this month, the Georgian Parliament approved the foreign agent bill with a significant majority; 84 votes in favour and 30 against.
President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed the law, calling the document 'an obstacle on our European path', but parliament also voted to override her on Tuesday.
Protests against the legislation first began last month. Western nations and blocs, including the US, UK and EU, have condemned it, with the latter releasing a statement warning that the law 'is not in line with EU core norms and values' and would 'negatively impact Georgia's progress on its EU path'.
Under the legislation, those groups receiving more than 20 per cent of funding from abroad would be required to register as 'foreign agents'.
Critics have compared the bill to what they see as 'Russian' laws intended to stifle dissent, while the governing party claims the move is about transparency and protecting democracy from foreign interference and imposed 'pseudo-liberal values'.
Wat-er sight! MP gets drenched in Georgian parliament after criticising 'foreign agent' law
Agmashenebeli Strategy Party Chairman Giorgi Vashadze was sprayed with water by Georgian Dream MP Irma Zavradashvili during a session in Tbilisi on Tuesday, as the opposition lawmaker criticised the latest 'foreign agent' legislation.
"When the whole world hears the Georgian people, the Georgian Dream, a political group controlled by one man [referring to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party], tries to silence them. They talk about sovereignty and 'Russian law,'" Vashadze remarked. "This water will do nothing to me and nothing to the Georgian people."
Earlier this month, the Georgian Parliament approved the foreign agent bill with a significant majority; 84 votes in favour and 30 against.
President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed the law, calling the document 'an obstacle on our European path', but parliament also voted to override her on Tuesday.
Protests against the legislation first began last month. Western nations and blocs, including the US, UK and EU, have condemned it, with the latter releasing a statement warning that the law 'is not in line with EU core norms and values' and would 'negatively impact Georgia's progress on its EU path'.
Under the legislation, those groups receiving more than 20 per cent of funding from abroad would be required to register as 'foreign agents'.
Critics have compared the bill to what they see as 'Russian' laws intended to stifle dissent, while the governing party claims the move is about transparency and protecting democracy from foreign interference and imposed 'pseudo-liberal values'.
Mandatory credit: Georgian Parliament Press Service
Agmashenebeli Strategy Party Chairman Giorgi Vashadze was sprayed with water by Georgian Dream MP Irma Zavradashvili during a session in Tbilisi on Tuesday, as the opposition lawmaker criticised the latest 'foreign agent' legislation.
"When the whole world hears the Georgian people, the Georgian Dream, a political group controlled by one man [referring to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party], tries to silence them. They talk about sovereignty and 'Russian law,'" Vashadze remarked. "This water will do nothing to me and nothing to the Georgian people."
Earlier this month, the Georgian Parliament approved the foreign agent bill with a significant majority; 84 votes in favour and 30 against.
President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed the law, calling the document 'an obstacle on our European path', but parliament also voted to override her on Tuesday.
Protests against the legislation first began last month. Western nations and blocs, including the US, UK and EU, have condemned it, with the latter releasing a statement warning that the law 'is not in line with EU core norms and values' and would 'negatively impact Georgia's progress on its EU path'.
Under the legislation, those groups receiving more than 20 per cent of funding from abroad would be required to register as 'foreign agents'.
Critics have compared the bill to what they see as 'Russian' laws intended to stifle dissent, while the governing party claims the move is about transparency and protecting democracy from foreign interference and imposed 'pseudo-liberal values'.