Why did the Georgian Dream backfire? He did not expect the reaction of young people – #Georgian #Dream #backfire #expect #reaction #young #people
This week, the Georgian government scandalized “foreign agents” law he had to withdraw his project from the parliament. Although the project was adopted in the first reading on March 7, two days of violent protests judge It forced the “Georgian Dream” party to retreat.
According to the law, less than his finances 20 Institutions that received their interest from abroad had to declare it, the purpose was explained by ensuring “transparency of foreign influence”. Critics compared this project to the “foreign agents” law adopted by Russia in 2012. Protesters “Russia no to the law!” they chanted.
The legislation was drafted by the populist People’s Power party. This party left Georgian Dream in August, but still judge founded by a group that supports the majority.
Judge party and People’s Power law seems to have miscalculated the possible reaction to his project.
Parliament former member, expert on constitutional law Vakhtang Khmaladze He told RFE/RL’s Georgian service that maybe the ruling party did not expect that the younger generation would take action in the moment of crisis.
“The new generation has a strong desire for change, more freedom, as few restrictions as possible. This desire is stronger than in the older generation. The government did not expect that the young people would react so intensely, quickly and emotionally. Khmaladze emphasized.
According to the expert, even those who did not understand the details of the “transparency of foreign influence” project understood its importance.
At the same time, the government could not see the presence of “stronger public trust in the opponents of these projects than in their supporters”, Khmaladze emphasized.
Georgian Dream government of the country European Union it is obvious that it will become a thorn in the road. Two years ago, with the mediation of Brussels, 20, which the opposition representatives called unfair20An agreement was reached for him to go to the parliament after the October elections, but then it was broken.
Past the president Michael Saakashvili still in prison, his allies are heavy sick they say it is. Tbilisi last year political and its failure to fulfill its commitments on other reforms prevented it from being granted EU candidate status. Ukraine and Moldova received this status.
EU, USA expressed “deep concern” about the project that caused the protests, and welcomed its withdrawal.
Although they compare this legislation with that of Russia, in fact, in Georgia Sentiment against Russia has typically been strong. Russian troops controls one-fifth of the country’s territory, mostly 20It was captured by the short war of 2008. Moscow supports Georgia’s separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
After the Kremlin started an unprovoked war against Ukraine in February of last year, the flow of foreigners to Georgia has also increased. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians had to flee the country. Russians are leaving their country due to mobilization.
In this regard, the “foreign agent” legislation was not presented at a convenient time. Because of a similar law in Russia NGOwere used to silence independent media and critics of the Kremlin.
While the Georgian public supports the Ukrainians, the ruling Georgian Dream did not join the international sanctions against Russia. However, mass protests in June of last year showed that the patience of the public was full. They that the government does not carry out the reforms demanded by Brussels protest they did.
From the Berlin-based liberal think tank Scripts Anastasia Mgaloblishvili The introduction of the “foreign agents” law was called a “secret victory” in the “gray zone operations against Georgia” by the Kremlin.
Constitutional law expert Khmaladze law sees another factor in the failure of the project: “The government did not take into account whether the people would accept or reject the lies.”
Transparency expert Hans Gutbrod and the actions of the ruling party of Ukraine former president Viktor Yanukovychis similar to his hard turn in the issue of EU integration. As a result, Euromaidan protests started in the country at the end of 2013, which has been going on for ten years political led to panic and war.
Critics also recall the promises of the Georgian Dream that have not been fulfilled in recent years. Russian in 2019 of the deputy Protests caused by the chairman’s sitting in the parliament were brutally suppressed. After that, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling party, promised to apply a proportional system to the demands of the protesters in the 2020 election. But that never happened.
Europe President of the Council Charles Michel In April 2021, he mediated between Georgian Dream and the opposition and prevented the opposition from boycotting the parliament. However, at the end of July, party chairman Kobakhidze announced that Georgian Dream was withdrawing from the agreement.