Georgian riot police are currently locked in a tense stand-off with protesters, demonstrating against a controversial “foreign agents” law, outside the parliament in Tbilisi.
Masked officers, armed with tear gas and backed with water cannons, clashed with protesters who were trying to stop a vote on the bill – with there even being reports of demonstrators being beaten by police.
Critics call the bill the “Russian law” and fear it is modelled on a law made by Vladimir Putin to crack down on media freedoms. This, in turn, sparks concern that it will damage Georgia’s hopes of joining the EU.
The head of the EU’s embassy said there was “zero chance” of the country joining the EU, after Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, warned Georgia was “at a crossroads”.