Georgia’s parliament decided not to have its meeting on Thursday because there were big protests against a new law. People are worried that the law will limit freedom of the media and make it harder for the country to join the European Union.
The parliament said they cancelled an event because the building was damaged during protests on Wednesday. The police used water, gas, and spray against the protesters.
On Wednesday, the lawmakers agreed to a second look at the law that would make it necessary for media and non-profit groups to register as working for a foreign government if they get more than 20 percent of their money from outside the country.
The last reading was supposed to happen in mid-May. It is not known if canceling Thursday’s meeting will slow down the bill’s progress. The ruling party in Georgia, called Georgian Dream, took back a similar idea last year because many people protested against it.
Protesters are criticizing the bill and calling it “the Russian law” because Russia uses similar laws to criticize independent news media and organizations that speak out against the government.
83 out of 150 lawmakers in Georgia voted yes on the bill for the second time, while 23 voted no.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili does not agree with the governing party and has spoken out against the bill. She said she will reject the bill if Parliament approves it. However, the ruling party can reject the veto and request the speaker of the parliament to approve the bill and make it a law.
The EU’s foreign policy group recently criticized Georgian Dream for bringing back the law. They said it’s a big problem for media freedom in the country, which is important for the EU to accept Georgia.
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Georgia’s parliament adjourns after significant protestors cause damage to building
