Macron, Scholz voice 'deep concern' at Georgia foreign influence law

The leaders of France and Germany on Sunday said they are "deeply concerned by the situation in Georgia" where parliament approved a controversial "foreign influence" law that goes "against European values".

"It is with deep regret that we take note of the Georgian government's decision... to move away" from the EU candidate country's European path, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote in a Facebook message.

Ruling Georgian Dream party lawmakers voted through the legislation this week in defiance of protesters concerned the ex-Soviet republic is shifting away from a pro-Western course back toward Russia.

The move has sparked a wave of protests unprecedented in the recent history of the Black Sea nation.

"Today I set a veto... on the law, which is Russian in its essence, and which contradicts our constitution," Georgia's President Salome Zurabishvili said in a televised statement on the measure Saturday.

However the Georgian Dream party has enough lawmakers in parliament to override the veto.

Macron invited

In an interview published in France's La Tribune Dimanche paper, Zurabishvili, herself a former French diplomat, called on President Emmanuel Macron to come to Georgia to back their cause.

"I wrote to President Macron, I am expecting him for Georgia's independence day, May 26," she said.

The bill has sparked a wave of protests unprecedented in the recent history of the Black Sea nation. Its critics say it resembles Russian legislation used to silence dissent.

(With newswires)

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