Tbilisi, Georgia – Zviad Tsetskhladze, a 19-year-old student from Batumi, leads a crowd of protesters in catchy pro-European Union slogans outside Georgia’s parliament building in Tbilisi. The protests stem from opposition to a controversial “foreign agents” law that passed in May, requiring organizations with over 20% foreign funding to register as “agents of foreign influence.”
For young protesters like Tsetskhladze, the law represents larger issues of corruption and a political shift away from the EU, sparking concerns of Russian influence. As Georgia’s governing party faces pressure ahead of parliamentary elections, protesters aim to keep momentum by boycotting Russian products and rallying support among the younger, European-minded generation.
Eka Gigauri of Transparency International highlights the bill’s threats to civil society, with fines and penalties for non-compliance, while Viktor Kvitatiani reports around 300 arrests and excessive force by riot police. Despite challenges, young activists like Sandro Vakhtangadze recognize the need for change but remain cautious of opposition party ties to tainted leaders.
As Georgia navigates its pro-European aspirations against Russian influence, a new generation of activists seeks to uphold democratic values and push for accountability in government.