Georgia’s ‘Foreign Agents’ Bill Becomes Law After Weeks of Political Wrangling

Russian defense minister accuses the EU and NATO of exploiting the issue to ‘fuel tensions’ in the small South Caucasus country.

Protesters barricade the entrance of Parliament during a rally to protest against a bill on "foreign agents", in Tbilisi, Georgia, May 2, 2024. Irakli Gedenidze/REUTERS

After weeks of heated debate and street demonstrations, Georgia’s government has ratified legislation aimed at combating perceived foreign influence in the country.

“Today, I formally approved the Transparency of Foreign Influence Law,” Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili told reporters on June 3.