UPDATE - Georgian Opposition Makes Demands To Government At Tbilisi Rally

TBILISI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2023) The Georgian opposition organized another large-scale rally in Tbilisi on Wednesday, giving the country's government an hour to withdraw a controversial draft bill on foreign agents from the parliament and release all detained demonstrators, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.

A similar protest against the bill On Transparency of Foreign Influence, which was adopted by the Georgian parliament in the first reading, took place in Tbilisi on Tuesday. Georgia's police detained a total of 66 people then. On Wednesday, police officers detained 10 more demonstrators, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

"The Georgian Dream (ruling party) should immediately withdraw the 'Russian' law (on foreign agents) from the parliament and release all those illegally detained," Georgian opposition activist Giorgi Vashadze said at the rally.

Vashadze added that the country's leadership had one hour to meet the demands, otherwise the activists "will move on to other steps."

Opposition activists, including NGO representatives, actors, writers, students, as well as ordinary citizens began gathering on the central avenue of Tbilisi around 12:00 p.m. (08:00 GMT), the RIA Novosti correspondent reported. The main part of the protest started at 19 p.m., the correspondent said, adding that patrol police brigades had been mobilized around the parliament to ensure order during the rally.

The activists were holding the EU and Georgian flags, as well as posters urging Tbilisi "to choose the European Union over Russia." The protesters were also chanting slogans against the government's bill on foreign agents, which they called an analogue to the law in force in Russia.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the demonstrators, including those detained, were also carrying tasers, truncheons, rocks, various pyrotechnics, paint and other items prohibited by law and designed for violent acts, which were confiscated by the police.

Later in the day, Vashadze said that the Georgian government had failed to meet the two opposition demands. The activist urged the protesters to move to the parliament's entrance to prevent lawmakers from attending a session set for March 9. Georgia's special police forces stationed in the parliament's courtyard used tear gas and water cannons to drive protesters away from the gates of the legislature.

The RIA correspondent reported that the police had managed to push the protesters out of the central avenue in Tbilisi, with people running in panic along neighboring streets, shouting insults against the authorities. Meanwhile, ambulance crews stationed around the parliament building were providing first aid to those injured in the clashes, the correspondent added.

Georgia's parliament on Tuesday adopted a bill On Transparency of Foreign Influence, by a majority vote in the first reading in a 76-13 vote. Under the law, a list of individuals and entities receiving financing from abroad would be created. This sparked mass protests and concerns among the opposition, who fear it would allow the government to suppress the work of non-governmental organizations and activists in the country.