Brawl breaks out in Georgian parliament over ‘foreign agents’ bill

Fights broke out in Georgia’s parliament on Thursday, 2 March, over a controversial “foreign agents” bill backed by the ruling party.

Critics have said the draft law, which would require organisations receiving more than 20 per cent of their funding from overseas to register as “foreign agents” or face fines, represents an authoritarian shift in the country.

Protesters disrupted Thursday’s committee hearings and physical fights broke out between opposition lawmakers and those from the ruling Georgian Dream party, who have said they will support the bill.

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