Javier Colomina, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Wednesday, said “NATO is concerned about the draft law [on Transparency of Foreign Influence] passed in 1st reading in Tbilisi.”

In his tweet, Colomina said that “Key for Georgia, as NATO aspirant, to have the right framework to ensure media freedom and civil society participation. This draft is a step backwards, and does not further goal of Euro-Atlantic integration.”

Georgians have been protesting for a second day against the so-called Foreign Agents bills that would require non-governmental and media organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents.”

The “No to the Russian law” rally kicked off on Tuesday after the Georgian Parliament passed a first reading of the legislation.

In violent clashes, the police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds.

#NATO is concerned about the draft law passed in 1st reading in Tbilisi. Key for #Georgia, as NATO aspirant, to have the right framework to ensure media freedom & civil society participation. This draft is a step backwards, & does not further 🇬🇪 goal of Euro-Atlantic integration

— Javier Colomina (@JavierColominaP) March 8, 2023