To foreigners asking why we, Georgians are so appalled: Laws in various democratic countries are very different from ours. The Georgian one doesn't concern lobbyists (unlike FARA,) but any NGO or Media that merely get more than 20% of their funding from abroad, doesn't matter if they are serving Georgian interests or not, doesn't matter they are funded from Russia or from the EU, whether they are helping the people with disabilities or are involved in politics, they are labelled as agents, which is an equivalent of spy in Georgian language and most people working in this sector now are not going to register as such, so effectively the government will get rid of the watchdogs, just like it happened in Russia. It's the same pattern. Plus they already extended the law to the physical persons, even though they had pledged they wouldn't do so. They can request any type of information from anyone connected to these NGOs or even their friends and relatives, including extremely personal data. It's downright unconstitutional at this point, but hey, they control the constitutional court too. over 200 thousand people (with some estimates 300k) protested several days ago in a country with 3.7 million population (an official number from 2022, a lot of people have migrated since then). This is the biggest protest after regaining independence in 1991. Please, however some of you might dislike the West and loath their mistakes, make yourself familiar with the context and our struggle for freedom here, before you applaud our government for standing tall against Western pressure, they are betraying 2500 year old civilizational choice of this country and all the best people who have died and suffered for this cause. All foreigners I personally know, support us and there are some bots commenting here of course, I still wanted to get across our voice to a genuine observer. Respectfully, A Georgian protestor, who wishes merely to live in a free and democratic country

The protest of a minority is also democracy but a majority choice is more democracy

The western powers showed exactly the same support for Ukraine and we all know the results. One thing I would say to the Georgian people if I could. You are very lucky to have a leadership that makes sense. They just saved your country's future.

Western nations have their own similar foreign agent bills. So Georgia is simply following western values.

That same law exists in the USA and EU. Are they also pro-Russian?

They don’t want to be same as Ukraine 👍

What's ironic is the United States has a foreign agent's law that is far stricter than either Georgia's or Russia's which only levy fines. The law in the US has criminal penalties for failure to register as a foreign agent.

By limiting mi6 or CIA activities may be 😂😂😂

Let the people pick their future

Big win for Georgia

The US, UK and EU have even more Draconian foreign interference laws. The foreign interference law currently proposed in Canada will require disclosure if even 1% of an organization's funding is from foreign entities! Canada's proposed law even applies to school boards ... it's not just limited to political parties and NGO's.

Doesn't the US also have a similar bill?

So no EU and RU intervention in inner affairs?! How dare them! 😂

Why is it that anything anti Western is undemocratic even though it’s a majority choice.This is nonsense.The Georgians choose to go Russian

If this law is pro-Russia then the USA and EU must also be pro-Russia since it has a similar law... I guess it's only "pro-Russia" when it is not a US overseas territory.

Nice, democratically elected majority in parliament makes decisions for themselves, it's immediately pro-Russian majority. just because the law is similar to Russian. And American by the way. Are there any Russian NGOs in Georgia? anyone knows?

So Russia and China can fund French NGOs right!

The west is desperate.

The same type of law exists in USA etc..

Georgia should try hard not to become another Ukraine.

couldn't get a single Georgian on the Panel? France24, you're better then that!

Where is Victoria Nuland with cookies😂😂😂😂

France even can dream Georgian democrazy!!!

Very good discussion, captured well the National contexts and regional context and issues for Georgia and Caucasus

Whichever government West dislikes calls regime although Georgian government is democratically elected one. Do not turn Georgia to Ukraine, mind your own colonies!

I'm confused about the difference between the various countries supporting or opposing foreign media, it seems like everyone does it in some way so we need more clarity as it relates to Georgia and Slovenia. Just saying public broadcasting and 70 years old isn't enough context.

amazing debate thanks

Politicians dont make a government. Ppl do. You cant have a goevenment without ppl. Good luck with that law

well,actually after the pathetic western commitment to ukraine ,it's no wonder that the georgian elites do not want to risk another 2008. Despite the aspirations of the people.

Look I'm not saying anything country in the land have not got issues however this is way out of order

About a time Georgia found its head!

Finny how adopting a law that's a common law in the USA can be so controversial in Georgia. Like, it's ok to air foreign /Russian interventions in the USA but not in Georgia? Or maybe somebody is afraid that the national endowment for democracy (haha), might be shown to be the one stirring up some not so democratic trends? Now that Ukraine is done, we need another victim...

Don’t threaten daddy P. Be good kids.

What happen when a country become an eu member. Look at Portugal.

Uhuru movement was stopped in the US

Francois Holland was persuaded because the campaign foundling from Gaddafi

Well done Georgian parliament for being assertive & decisive. Never give to the US and its proxies. Otherwise, the future will be like Ukraine.

Why Europeans interfered in another country's affaires

West not happy they can't pay people to pretend to be anti Russia without saying they are funding them 😂😂😂

What the people want - is the only choice for election! These tv presenters just can’t understand that the role of the government is to serve their country and the people! They are so detached from reality!

❤

Why does the greed of power and money always get in the way of the human good? The Georgian people are right in doing all they can to remain a truly free democratic country as it is a way better option than the cruel suppressed other option.

I've never seen political guests sound so deluded and immature. I hope they are not getting paid for this. What a waste of money. Peace and love

They are blackmailing the country for operating in a democratic process, with eu rejection. And yet the eu and us have the same laws in their countries, although the president of Georgia is a specialagent for foreign interest.

‘I won’t give up’… 😅

Learn from Ukraine crisis and stop repeating the same in Georgia.

A crowd? It was thousands!!!

Orban would want more EU Member States, not merely to appease and please Czar Putin in Moscow, but to act as a cohesive Block of resistance to further European liberalization and integration. Enlargement of EU could easily see the division of the EU itself into a "Western EU" and an "Eastern EU" acting as both a political and economic buffer between EU (as a whole) and Russia and as a conduit for Russian influence of European Affairs.

Who is oligarch in George Republic ??? And who are his supporters ???

There approximately 1ngo for every 200 citizens. You don't say that. These NGO are funded by America in the most part. The media is also paid by them.

People loves evil.

Things are quite obvious. The Geogrians used to try how it tastes to confront Russia and side with NATO and now learn from mistakes. This is good.

Russian bots working overtime on this forum.

Gerge soras money buying these jackel who are making noise.

Every countries has the right to legislative their own Laws according to their needs and interests moreover western countries has to mind their own business and cant dictate terms and conditions to Georgia or any country

Better stay in step with Russia......look at the terrible things they're doing with ukraine....

Well done Georgia 🇬🇪 but be careful , we know what happened to Slovakia 🇸🇰 PM yesterday

Cancel the visa free regime and suspend the EU candidacy. If they don't wanna be in that team then let them have it. Maybe they can join the Customs Union.

I like Jean-Michel … seasoned diplomat who is actually trying to speak the truth here .. the other guy is next to him has no clue about the reality and is just talking nonsense as per me ..

Disgusting they just want there freedom

Joining EU!? Why backing a dying horse? It’s absurd.

Who doesn't want tohe Georgians to lnow who pays for the cookies? If we are full of Russian agents, why the opposition to them registering as foreign agents? Reluctant to expose the rest of the foreign agents?

Bruhh. But how can they have a SUPER majority in the parliament but not outside it. It doesn’t make any sense

How long America will you impose will on small, moderate weak countries!!!

Russia do have the money stop kidding yourselves

@ 16:20 It's sad to hear the man apply the label "war party" to those assisting Ukraine's resistance to Russia's use of military force to incorporate Ukraine's territory into its own. He would have you think that effort to dissuade using military force to redraw borders is war mongering. Ukraine's assault of Russian troops ends when Russia quits sending its military into Ukraine. He is so confused and treated as though he's clear minded.

TL'DR: The EU wants independent countries to depend only on EU; not on other countries and not on their own citizens. And when the EU wants them to have an opinion, the EU will give it to them. It's quite simple, I don't understand how Georgians or Hungarians or Slovaks or Serbs don't get it.

Sorry Georgia yiur not going to be able to stay in the EU with that bill your gone

Why not let these countries into EU, but put a hold on their voting power? Also, it is time that Hungry lost it voting power in the EU. So, they cannot hold up what is needed to strengthen the EU.

Foreigner speak, read and write English as their second language. So they watch and learn and analyse and compare.and contrast to make their decision.

Georgia, going back to the middle age!

Fitso had the wrong world view. How dared he oppose the intervention in Ukraine? Wasn't he afraid of Russia at his door???

Georgia has always been Russia,from centuries of history.

Well done Georgia!

Georgia is not Europe and and georgians are not Europeans 😅😅 So, relax and Good luck!

Look his head

Deanguars