TBILISI, March 9. /TASS/. Georgia’s opposition forces plan to carry on with protests in the country’s capital of Tbilisi despite the ruling party’s decision to withdraw a previously proposed foreign agent bill, spokesperson for the Girchi - More Freedom opposition party Tsotne Koberidze said at a briefing on Thursday.
"A demonstration will definitely take place today because there are many young people who don’t trust the Georgian Dream [ruling party]. We are the only ones who can guarantee that our country becomes part of the West," he pointed out. "We need a clear explanation of how they plan to withdraw the bill," Koberidze said, adding that they also demanded the authorities release those detained during the protests.
The ruling party announced earlier on Thursday that it was withdrawing the foreign agent bill from the country’s parliament.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tbilisi on March 7-8 after lawmakers had passed the first reading of the bill. Over 130 people were detained in the two days of protests.
In February, the country’s parliament registered a Georgian version of the foreign agent bill and a translation of the US foreign agent law. According to the Georgian version, media outlets may be designated as foreign agents but the initiative does not cover individuals. The US version applies to both entities and individuals, and also introduces criminal liability. Georgia’s parliament has sent the domestic version of the bill to the Venice Commission for examination.