VIDEO. Chaos in Parliament: Widespread brawl breaks out between Georgian MPs after one of them punches

Plusieurs députés en sont venus aux mains. CAPTURE D'ÉCRAN TWITTER

Une bagarre entre députés a éclaté ce lundi 15 avril au Parlement géorgien, qui débat de la réintroduction du projet de loi controversé sur les "agents de l’étranger", à l’origine de manifestations d’ampleur l’année dernière et jugé liberticide par ses détracteurs.

The ruling party in this Caucasian country, the Georgian Dream, announced in early April the return of this bill, a first version of which had been abandoned after protests bringing together tens of thousands of people in Tbilisi in March. 2023 to denounce a text inspired by Russian legislation targeting critics of power.

When the debates began on Monday in Parliament on this text, several deputies came to blows in the middle of the hemicycle.

Live broadcast cut

Footage from the parliamentary session shows an opposition lawmaker punching a ruling party lawmaker who co-drafted the bill in the head, causing caused a widespread fight and the interruption of the live broadcast.

Une bagarre a éclaté au parlement géorgien lors de l'examen d'une loi controversée sur les agents étrangers.

A brawl broke out in the Georgian parliament during consideration of a controversial law on foreign agents pic.twitter.com/A1AVdsEH7T

— Babylone Alexi (@AngeBabylone) April 15, 2024

In the morning, several dozen demonstrators gathered in front of Parliament to unfurl a large flag of the European Union, which Georgia aims to join, as a sign of protest.

A large rally is planned for the evening against this text inspired by a Russian law used for years by the Kremlin to persecute dissident voices. "Georgian society is strong enough not to let the country slide towards Russian-style authoritarianism", one wants to believe demonstrators, Saba Gotoua, 48-year-old architect. "We will not let the Georgian Dream spoil Georgia's historic chance to become a member of the EU,” he added to AFP.

Last week, around 8,000 people had already demonstrated against the bill in Tbilisi.

Georgia has had the ambition for years to deepen its relations with the West but the ruling party is accused of wanting, on the contrary, to bring this former Soviet republic closer to Russia . The return of this law, criticized by Brussels, risks reviving deep divisions.

More transparency on their financing

The text would require organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register under the infamous label of organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power, under penalty of fines. This label has been changed from the term "agent of foreign influence" of the first version of 2023.

The government is defending a bill that will require organizations to demonstrate more "transparency" on their financing. Critics of the text see it as a tool for intimidating NGOs and independent media.

According to experts interviewed by AFP, the ruling party, accused of secretly collaborating with the Kremlin, considers the financing of certain NGOs and media by Westerners as a challenge to its control over the country.

"The Georgian Dream does not hide the fact that the law aims to neutralize Western influence", underlines political scientist Ghia Nodia. "The party keeps saying that it is leading Georgia towards the EU, but in fact it is sabotaging Georgia's European path", which is supported by around 80% of the population, according to opinion polls, he says.

The Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidzé, known for his anti-Western rhetoric, defends himself against any sabotage of the EU accession process, although Brussels has called for it ;abandon the text.

"Derailing Georgia from its European path"

In December, Georgia was granted official candidate status for membership, but Tbilisi still needs to make judicial and electoral reforms, strengthen press freedom and reduce the power of the oligarchs before negotiations are actually launched.

The United States estimated last week that the adoption of such a text would "derail Georgia from its European path".

The return of the bill to Parliament should also reignite tensions between the ruling party and the Georgian president, Salomé Zourabichvili, a fierce supporter of rapprochement with the EU. In 2023, she openly supported the protesters. However, its prerogatives are limited.