The parliamentary majority on Thursday decided to withdraw the draft law “On the Transparency of Foreign Influence,” following the consultations between the ruling Georgian Dream political council and People’s Power.

According to their joint statement, “the machine of lies misled part of the public. The draft law was dubbed “Russian law,” and its adoption in the first reading was interpreted as a deviation from the European course.”

“We must exercise utmost vigilance about our country’s peace and economic development, as well as Georgia’s progress towards European integration. As a result, our fellow citizens’ energy must be channelled toward progress rather than hostility. Considering the foregoing, we have decided to withdraw the bill without condition,” the statement reads.

It went on to say that once the emotional backdrop fades they “would better explain to the public what the bill was for and why it was vital to have transparency of foreign interference”.

“Georgia will maintain peace and stability while progressing towards Europe with dignity, as the Georgian people have chosen,” the statement said.

“No to the Russian law” rally kicked off on Tuesday after the Georgian Parliament passed the so-called Foreign Agents bill in the first reading. To disperse the protesters, the police used tear gas and water cannon against them.

The Transparency of Foreign Influence bill envisages the registration of such media outlets and non-commercial, non-entrepreneurial legal entities as agents of foreign influence if they get more than 20% of a particular revenue from abroad. According to the draft, everyone deemed an “agent of foreign influence” must be registered under the same name in the public registry’s database.