Members of the Georgian Parliament clashed during discussions on the controversial "Foreign Agents" bill, which has raised significant concerns in the West about potentially steering the country away from its "European path." A video that circulated on social media showed Georgian Dream party leader Mamuka Mdinaradze being punched in the face while speaking to an opposition member.
Subsequently, other deputies from both sides joined the brawl, exchanging punches. Hours after this fight, hundreds of people demonstrated against the legislation outside the Parliament in the capital, Tbilisi.
The bill proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party suggests that media and non-profit organizations could be classified as "foreign agents" if they receive over 20% of their funding from abroad. Opponents of the bill argue that it would hinder Georgia's goal of joining the European Union, which granted Tbilisi the long-awaited "candidate" status last year. The government stated that Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a meeting on Monday with ambassadors from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union to discuss the bill.
