Legal Committee Sprints through the Controversial Bill, MPs Cry Foul
On May 13, the Legal Committee of the Parliament said it voted in the third and final hearing for the adoption of the Foreign Agents Law against the background of the overnight protests of the citizens against the law. The deliberations did not take place. The vote was held in 55 seconds. Most opposition MPs were delayed outside the Parliament building by the police, and the Georgian Dream MPs were not present in full, either. Anri Okhanashvili, the Committee Chair, started the voting as MPs were still taking their seats. According to the parliamentary rules of procedure, during the third hearing, the law can only be technically edited for clarity. No substantive changes are allowed.
The Committee was meeting against the background of overnight protests at the Parliament, punctuated by police brutality and arrests.
The GD majority plans to adopt the law in its third, final hearing at the plenary scheduled for May 14.
Reactions of the opposition
Salome Samadashvili, Lelo: “Since the restoration of Georgia’s independence, we have not had a government that began to delegitimize itself while in power. The government moved into an illegitimate area [when the Legal Committee voted in favor of the bill in the third hearing in violation of the procedure]. The government violated the constitution. If they proceed down this road, they will be delegitimized internationally, because international sanctions will be imposed on all the deputies who support this law […] the majority in the Georgian parliament will be [considered to be] representatives of Russia, not of Georgia.”
Khatia Dekanoidze, Euro-optimists: “We, the representatives of the opposition, were not allowed to take part in the meeting, because the policemen kept us outside. The session began and ended in 1 minute and 7 seconds, it was an unbelievable, shameful, illegitimate session, where even the representatives of the majority did not have time to enter [the committee room], only the Chairman of the committee, Okhanashvili entered, and only a few people who acted as if they gave him legitimacy. This is an illegitimate session, all the people who are outside now should know that the Parliament of Georgia, the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, will adopt this law and will do it by dragging it through illegitimacy, illegitimate sessions, in violation of the Constitution of Georgia”.
Teona Akubardia, Independent MP: “Ivanishvili, who promised us an “amazing democracy,” the kind of democracy that “would surprise Europe,” has fulfilled his promise. He introduced a law that would end democracy in the country, and its European and Euro-Atlantic future. Exactly at 09:01, when the MPs of “Georgian Dream” entered the hall and we [the opposition] were about to enter, the session of the committee ended. It took exactly one and a half minutes for them to accept the “Russian law” and this shows the fear of the Georgian Dream and their intention to turn Georgia into a country under Russian influence, which I am sure no one in Georgia will accept or allow. The resistance will continue, not until the law is revoked, but until the Georgian Dream, which has become the Kremlin’s executor in the country, leaves power.”
Tina Bokuchava, UNM: “Once again, they dispersed and mercilessly beat the peaceful demonstrators in order to secretly and treacherously sneak in the delegation of Ivanishvili’s party and then sneak out of the Parliament building. […] We should do everything so that tomorrow the 83 traitors of Ivanishvili [majority MPs] can’t pass this law. We welcome the decision by the President to veto this law without submitting the suggestions for corrections to the parliament, but as a political, principled veto that joins and reflects the will of the Georgian people that this law shall be repealed.”
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