# Can anyone here educate me about what is happening in the Country of Georgia right now - April 2024? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2024, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-here-educate-me-about-what-is-happening-in-the-country-of-georgia-right-now-april-2024/1000983 "2024-04-30T22:10:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-here-educate-me-about-what-is-happening-in-the-country-of-georgia-right-now-april-2024/1000983/1 "2024-04-30T22:10:56Z")
This may be the wrong forum, if so, mods, please correct my mistake. I see that there are major protests in Georgia protesting a law of some sort. They are turning violent now that the police have started to show up. Can anyone explain what the law does that they are against? I’m just looking to get educated about the whole situation. Thanks everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-here-educate-me-about-what-is-happening-in-the-country-of-georgia-right-now-april-2024/1000983/2 "2024-04-30T22:34:25Z")
I presume you mean this? > **[A Proposed Law Targeting ‘Foreign Interests’ in Georgia Riles the Opposition](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/world/europe/georgia-foreign-agent-bill.html)** > > Opponents of the measure, which resembles a Russian law that Moscow has used to crack down on dissidents, say it could undermine efforts for Georgia to join the European Union. > [@](#): > > The trigger for the unrest was a decision early this month by the governing party, Georgian Dream, to push a bill through Parliament that the pro-Western opposition believes could be used to crack down on dissent and hamper the country’s efforts to join the European Union. > > The draft law would require nongovernmental groups and media outlets that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from foreign sources to register as organizations “carrying the interests of a foreign power” and provide annual financial statements about their activities. Violations would incur fines equivalent to more than $9,000. > > … > > The legislation resembles a similar measure that Moscow implemented in 2012 that has been used as a heavy-handed tool to stifle and stigmatize anti-Kremlin advocacy groups and media organizations. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-here-educate-me-about-what-is-happening-in-the-country-of-georgia-right-now-april-2024/1000983/3 "2024-05-01T01:07:37Z")
Similar to other countries. Such laws try and track back where funding and influence may originate. > **[Foreign Agents Registration Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Agents_Registration_Act)** > > The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) (22 U.S.C. § 611 et seq.) is a United States law that imposes public disclosure obligations on persons representing foreign interests. It requires "foreign agents"—defined as individuals or entities engaged in domestic lobbying or advocacy for foreign governments, organizations, or persons ("foreign principals")—to register with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and disclose their relationship, activities, and related financial compensation. > FARA does n... ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-here-educate-me-about-what-is-happening-in-the-country-of-georgia-right-now-april-2024/1000983/4 "2024-05-02T18:24:37Z")
But such laws can, depending on how they’re written and applied, be used to penalise organisations in various ways, as in Russia and Hungary. That’s the fear of the opposition here. It’s the proxy for “foreign conspiracies to undermine our values and institutions”.