Georgia’s ambassador to France, Gotcha Javakhishvili, made headlines on Thursday as he resigned from his position in protest of his country’s draft law on “foreign agents”. This move makes him the first senior official to step down over the controversial bill, which has sparked massive street protests in Georgia.
The draft law, which would require organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence, has been met with strong opposition from demonstrators who view it as authoritarian and Russian-inspired. Javakhishvili expressed his concerns on social media, stating that the tensions created by the bill have made his diplomatic mission extremely difficult.
While he acknowledged that he did not personally know any Georgian officials who were openly pro-Russian, Javakhishvili believed that the draft law could be a tactic to achieve a certain goal. He emphasized that he no longer saw his role in advancing Georgia’s integration with Europe.
The protests in Tbilisi began in mid-April after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced plans to reintroduce the foreign agent bill. Demonstrators have faced police crackdowns, with water cannons, tear gas, and stun grenades being used against them. The government argues that the law is necessary to ensure transparency in foreign funding of NGOs.
The European Union has condemned the bill, warning that its passage could jeopardize Georgia’s bid to join the bloc. Activists have reported being attacked by unknown assailants, and unverified flyers labeling protesters as “enemies of the people” have appeared in Tbilisi.
Despite a lull in protests over the Easter holidays, activists are planning to resume demonstrations, underscoring the ongoing turmoil in Georgia over the controversial draft law.