Pro-Democracy protests in Georgia

[dada_dave]

(The country not the US state) Georgian protests have intensified. The ruling party is attempting to pass a foreign agent law similar to the one in Russia which is widely seen as a tool to suppress opposition. This could be an important moment as the 2008 invasion of Georgia by Russia and the subsequent 2012 win of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party was a considered a blueprint for Russian aggression in Ukraine. It should be noted that 2012 elections is thought to have been fairly decided and the peaceful transfer of power was an important step for the country but the country has since been backsliding towards authoritarianism under Georgian Dream and its oligarch leader.

Police use water cannon in Georgia to disperse protests at ‘authoritarian’ law | Georgia | The Guardian

Critics of ‘foreign agents’ law say it could dash Tbilisi’s hopes of joining the European Union

amp.theguardian.com

 

[dada_dave]

The bills have been withdrawn but it’s clear it’s only for now and so protests continue

Massive protests prompt Georgia to withdraw Russian-style 'foreign agents' law

Tens of thousands of Georgians occupied the main thoroughfare of their capital, Tbilisi, for the second night in a row Wednesday, holding EU flags and posters to protest a Russian-style draft law that would label some nongovernmental groups and media outlets “foreign agents.”

news.yahoo.com

 

[dada_dave]

For anyone who doubts what happened in 2014 calling it a coup and that the Russians were defending themselves:

Here they are admitting exactly what happened by threatening to do it again. As I said, Georgia was a template for Ukraine and now visa versa.