Georgia passes controversial law against NGOs despite mass protests

DPA
·1 min read
A general view of the Georgian parliament in the city of Tbilisi. Georgia passes controversial law against NGOs despite mass protests. Ulf Mauder/dpa
A general view of the Georgian parliament in the city of Tbilisi. Georgia passes controversial law against NGOs despite mass protests. Ulf Mauder/dpa

The Georgian parliament approved a law on Tuesday clamping down on foreign-funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs), despite weeks of protests.

Critics say the law is modelled on Russian legislation and jeopardizes the prospects of the small ex-Soviet republic joining the European Union in future.

The governing majority of the Georgian Dream party say they wish to create more transparency in the foreign funding of NGOs.

However, tens of thousands have protested for weeks in the capital Tbilisi against the legislation.

The protesters say it is Georgia's version of a Russian law whereby numerous organizations and individuals have been branded by Moscow as "foreign agents," a classification that often causes major problems for NGOs.