TBILISI, Georgia (AP) 鈥� The Georgian parliament on Tuesday overrode a presidential veto of the 鈥渇oreign agents鈥� bill that has prompted weeks of massive protests by critics who say it will restrict media freedom and obstruct Georgia鈥檚 chances of joining the European Union.
The legislature, controlled by the ruling Georgian Dream party, dismissed the veto of President Salome Zourabichvili, an independent. The president now has five days to endorse the bill. If she doesn鈥檛 do so, the parliament speaker will sign it into law.
that was approved by the parliament earlier this month requires media, nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofit groups to register as 鈥減ursuing the interests of a foreign power鈥� if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.
Zourabichvili, who is increasingly at odds with the governing party, vetoed the bill on May 18. She has accused the governing party of jeopardizing the country鈥檚 future and 鈥渉indering the path toward becoming a full member of the free and democratic world.鈥�
The veto was rejected by an 84-4 vote in a contentious parliament session, during which a Georgian Dream deputy doused the leader of an opposition party with water while he spoke from the rostrum.
Opponents of the bill thronged outside the parliament building and some shouted 鈥淪laves!鈥� as the vote was announced. The crowd swelled in the evening and a lengthy procession of protesters marched past Georgian Dream headquarters.
鈥淲e have realized that our government is ready to throw this country off a cliff. The feeling, when I talk to my friends and people here, is that in the 21st century, our country is once again going under Soviet occupation,鈥� said demonstrator Giorgi Natroshvili
The government says the bill is needed to stem what it deems to be harmful foreign actors trying to destabilize the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million, but many Georgian journalists and activists argue that the bill鈥檚 true goal is to stigmatize them and restrict debate ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October.
Opponents denounce the legislation as 鈥渢he Russian law鈥� because it resembles measures pushed through by the Kremlin to crack down on independent news media, nonprofits and activists. Critics say the measure may have been driven by Moscow to thwart Georgia鈥檚 chances of further integrating with the West.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, however, contended the law will aid that integration.
鈥淭he law on transparency will create better grounds for ensuring the membership of Georgia in the EU,鈥� he told a news conference after the vote, adding that the law would strengthen Georgia's sovereignty.
But opposition parliament member Khatia Dekanoidze said: 鈥淣ow we have an absolutely new reality ... Probably, the window for integration into European Union will be closed.鈥�
The bill is nearly identical to one that the ruling party was pressured to withdraw last year after massive street protests. Renewed demonstrations again gripped Georgia as the bill made its way through parliament. Demonstrators scuffled with police, who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them.
The European Union鈥檚 foreign policy arm has said that adoption of the law 鈥渘egatively impacts Georgia鈥檚 progress on the EU path.鈥�
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that travel sanctions would be imposed on Georgian officials 鈥渨ho are responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia.鈥� He noted that 鈥渋t remains our hope that Georgia鈥檚 leaders will reconsider the draft law and take steps to move forward with their nation鈥檚 democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.鈥�
The EU offered Georgia candidate status last December, while making it clear that Tbilisi needs to implement key policy recommendations for its membership bid to progress.
The opposition United National Movement has described the bill as part of efforts by Georgian Dream to drag the country into Russia鈥檚 sphere of influence 鈥� claims it vehemently denies. Georgian Dream was founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and billionaire who made his fortune in Russia.
Zuka Elbakidze, a student who was among protesters rallying in Tbilisi ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 vote, said 鈥渢his day will determine the fate of our country,鈥� adding that 鈥渨e are making a choice between Europe and Russia, and all the people gathered here, except the policemen, want Europe and the West.鈥�
鈥淲e are physically witnessing, literally witnessing, how Georgian citizens, how members of the Georgian Parliament are selling out our country,鈥� said another protester, Mariam Geguchadze.
Russia-Georgia relations have often been rocky since Georgia became independent after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
In 2008, Russia fought a brief war with Georgia, which had made a botched attempt to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. Moscow then recognized South Ossetia and another separatist province, Abkhazia, as independent states and strengthened its military presence there. .
Tbilisi cut diplomatic ties with Moscow, and the regions鈥� status remains a key irritant in recent years.
Sophiko Megrelidze, The Associated Press