US pressures Georgia government to ditch 'foreign agent' law

Lawmakers in Washington are introducing two similar bills that seek to persuade the Georgian government to ditch a controversial "Russian law".

Transcript

00:00 US lawmakers are trying to persuade Georgia's government not to adopt the controversial Russian law.

00:06 That law, which aimed to promote transparency of foreign influence, was recently passed by the Georgian Parliament.

00:13 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a visa restriction policy against Georgian officials following the controversial bill.

00:22 Meanwhile, demonstrations protesting the law are ongoing in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi.

00:27 Citizens opposing the controversial law on transparency of foreign influence gathered in various locations in the city

00:33 and marched towards the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

00:36 This is part of a continuous protest that has been taking place on a daily basis for over a month,

00:43 ever since the law was reintroduced to the Georgian Parliament.

00:47 Acts threatening sanctions for Georgia's democratic backslide and a revision of US-Georgian relations are also on the table.

00:55 In response, the ruling Georgian Dream Party accused the US of emotional blackmail.

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