Fists Were Closer Than the Law... Brawl Between Lawmakers in Georgia Assembly

Pro-Russian Ruling Party Pushes Law to Strengthen Control Over NGOs and Media Receiving Foreign Support

As the pro-Russian conservative ruling party in Georgia pushed ahead with the 'foreign agent' bill despite internal opposition, tensions escalated, leading to a fistfight in the parliament.

On the 15th (local time), in the Georgian parliament, Mamuka Umdinaradze, leader of the ruling party 'Georgian Dream' which proposed the 'Foreign Agent Institutions Bill,' was reportedly punched in the face by opposition lawmaker Aleko Elisashvili during a speech to reintroduce the bill, according to the British daily The Guardian.

On the 15th (local time), when Mamuka Umdinaradze, the leader of the ruling party 'Georgian Dream,' took the podium at the Georgian Parliament, opposition lawmaker Aelko Elisashvili, who opposes the 'Foreign Agent Law,' punched Umdinaradze in the face.
[Photo by AFP]

The incident was caught on camera, and during the attempt to restrain Elisashvili, other lawmakers also threw punches at him, turning the parliament into chaos. Elisashvili, who threw the punch, later received cheers from his supporters outside the parliamentary building.

The foreign agent institutions bill, modeled after a law enacted by Russia in 2012, mandates that organizations such as media outlets and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving overseas funding register as 'foreign agent institutions.'

This law, enacted in Russia since 2012, designates NGOs and media receiving foreign funding as 'foreign agent institutions' and requires them to disclose this in their publications. In Russia, the term 'foreign agent institution' carries connotations of espionage activities on behalf of foreign powers.

Citizens opposing the 'Foreign Agency Act' in Georgia
Photo by EPA/ Yonhap News

Opposition parties and civil society groups opposing the bill criticize it as a tool to suppress the media and NGOs. The international community, including the United States and Europe, has also criticized the bill, stating it is "incompatible with democratic values." The European Union (EU) granted Georgia candidate status last December but warned that this bill conflicts with EU values.

Previously, Georgian Dream attempted to pass the bill last year but postponed it amid nationwide protests; however, they recently revived the bill. On the 15th, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said, "I met with ambassadors from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States to discuss the bill," defending it as a measure to enhance accountability.

Georgian Dream is pushing the argument that the bill is necessary to counter 'pseudo-liberal values' promoted by foreign forces.