Parliament speaker in Georgia signs into law a bill that critics say curbs media freedom

TBILISI, Georgia — The speaker of Georgia’s parliament said he signed into law Monday a measure that has drawn weeks of protests by critics who say it will curb media freedom and jeopardize the country’s chances of joining the European Union. Zourabichvili, who is increasingly at odds with the governing party, had opposed the bill, accusing the party of jeopardizing Georgia’s future and “hindering the path toward becoming a full member of the free and democratic world.” Ghia Nodia, a Tbilisi-based political analyst, said the new law marked a “turning point” for Georgia. Zurab Japaridze, head of the opposition Girchi -More Freedom party, said the purpose of the law was to “cleanse this country of the nongovernmental sector, critical media, and opposition parties, and bring us to the reality that exists in Russia.” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze dismissed the criticism as “unnecessary emotions that had only an artificial basis.” “Only the ill-wishers of our country have been defeated,” he said, adding that “now the law has already come into force and we all have to act pragmatically, with a cool mind and put aside unnecessary emotions.” Over the weekend, the opposition United National Movement said a crowd of masked men attacked its central offices in Tbilisi, smashing windows and damaging property. After signing the bill, Papuashvili reaffirmed that its main purpose was to “increase the resistance of the political, economic and social systems of Georgia to external interference.” “If nongovernmental organizations and mass media want to participate in the decision-making process and influence the life of the Georgian people with funding from foreign governments, they must meet the minimum standard of transparency — the public must know who is behind each actor,” he said. Following passage of the bill last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that travel sanctions would be imposed on officials “who are responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia.” He voiced hope Georgia’s government will reverse course and “take steps to move forward with their nation’s democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.” The United National Movement describes the law as part of efforts by Georgian Dream to drag the country into Russia’s sphere of influence — a claim the ruling party angrily rejects.