Protests are now a daily occurrence in Tbilisi and seem unlikely to stop anytime soon. Photo.

Georgia’s parliament has approved a contentious “foreign agent” law, leading to weeks of large-scale street demonstrations, BBC reports on May 14th.

However, Georgia’s president, Salome Zourabichvili, may veto the bill, though parliament can overturn it with another vote. Critics, calling it the “Russia law,” fear it could threaten civil liberties. Thousands gathered near Tbilisi’s parliament to protest. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warned against yielding, citing risks similar to Ukraine’s fate. Protesters confronted police in riot gear, and tensions flared inside parliament between government and opposition MPs. President Salome Zourabichvili, opposing Kobakhidze, stated she would veto the law as she entered parliament.

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Georgian Dream holds enough seats in parliament to override her veto, making it likely that the legislation will pass. The bill, passed with 84 votes for and 30 against in its final reading on Tuesday, requires NGOs and independent media receiving over 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as entities influenced by foreign powers. They would be subject to Justice Ministry oversight and could face fines of up to 25,000 GEL ($9,400; £7,500) for non-compliance. Protesters fear the law could be used by the government to suppress dissent, drawing comparisons to Russia’s authoritarian legislation of 2012, which has been used to silence critics. Opposition parties argue that the law could hinder Georgia’s EU accession efforts, as the EU has cautioned that it may affect progress within the bloc.

For almost a month, large protests against the bill have swept through the Caucasus country. Recent online images and videos depict violent clashes between protesters and police.

BBC and other agencies