Georgian president vetoes 'foreign agents' bill

Georgia's pro-Western President Salome Zourabichvili said on May 18 that she vetoed the controversial "foreign agents" bill previously passed by the parliament despite large-scale protests.

The bill requires organizations that receive foreign funding to be labeled as "foreign agents" and mirrors repressive Russian legislation used to crack down on Kremlin regime critics.

Georgia's parliament passed the bill in its third and final reading on May 14. Its introduction into the parliament led to widespread protests across the country and criticism from the EU and the U.S.

Announcing her decision to veto the bill, Zourabichvili called the document "fundamentally Russian in its essence and spirit," adding that it contradicts Georgian constitution and European standards.

Read also: Explainer: What’s behind ongoing protests in Georgia?

"It thus represents an obstacle to our European path."

Undisclosed EU officials previously told the Financial Times (FT) that the European Union plans to freeze Georgia's membership bid if it enacts the "foreign agents" law.

Zourabichvili added that the veto "is legally sound and will be delivered to Parliament today."

Georgia's constitution allows the president to either sign the law within 10 days or return it to the parliament.

However, the ruling Georgian Dream party has enough votes in the parliament to override the veto, allowing it to be signed by the legislature's chairman instead.

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