Georgia’s parliament have dropped plans for a “foreign agents” bill that had triggered a major domestic political crisis and threatened to derail the Caucasus nation’s bid for closer ties with Europe.
The bill would require non-governmental organisations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register with the country’s Justice Ministry as a Foreign Agent.
Lawmakers voted against the legislation in the second reading after the ruling of Georgian Dream party, pulling its support for the bill.
meanwhile tens of thousands of Georgians had taken to the streets in the capital Tbilisi for three consecutive nights of protest against the initiative, saying the government was trying to take the country in an increasingly authoritarian direction.
Police used tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon to disperse the protesters, who had amassed outside parliament in Tbi-lisi, detaining dozens in the process.
