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European shield in Georgia

Mass protests in the former Soviet state against a Russia-inspired bill are yet another front against Moscow’s attempt to rebuild an empire.

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Reuters
Demonstrators hold a protest against a bill on "foreign agents" in Tbilisi, Georgia, May 2.
  • By the Monitor's Editorial Board

Since it invaded Ukraine more than two years ago, Russia has become more open about its goal to piece back together the states of the fallen Soviet empire. Reactions to this Humpty Dumpty project have brought arms to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia’s economy. It has also brought an offer of protection to several former Soviet states – a chance to join the European Union and enjoy the shield of a community abiding by democratic values.

On Wednesday, one such former Soviet state, Georgia, saw the largest street protests yet against a legislative bill that, if passed by the ruling party, could derail EU membership. The bill has vague provisions that would curtail the work of civil society and news outlets if such groups receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.

A similar measure in Russia has been used since 2012 to silence political opposition. The former Soviet state Kyrgyzstan has followed Moscow’s example while Kazakhstan is weighing it. A similar measure in Hungary, an EU member, was nullified by the European Court of Justice.

It is unclear if Russia is behind the Georgia bill. But the de facto leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia. What is clear is that his party is worried about losing power in elections this October if journalists and civic activists keep exposing government corruption, interference in the courts, and other erosions of the rule of law.

This week’s harsh crackdown on protesters – whose numbers reached more than 100,000 – hints at the party’s attempt to hold on to power or, at the least, create social polarization. On Tuesday, President Salome Zourabichvili, whose post is largely ceremonial, said the police crackdown was “totally unwarranted, unprovoked and out of proportion.” She is a former member of Georgian Dream who left as the party drifted toward authoritarian ways.

Polls show that some 80% of Georgians support EU membership and the reforms required to achieve it. Aligning the country with European values is widely seen as a safeguard against Russia. The war in Ukraine is not the only front to uphold national sovereignty and personal liberties.

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