President of Georgia urges citizens to choose between Europe and Russia

This is reported by Echo of the Caucasus, Ukrinform reports.

Commenting on the decision of the ruling Georgian Dream party to continue to promote the controversial law on "foreign agents" and the crackdown on protesters who oppose this initiative, the Georgian leader said that "the problem is much more serious than the bill on transparency of foreign influence, the main thing is what will happen in the elections."

"Once again, the problem is much more serious than this bill, which will be adopted in about a month and a half. I will veto it, and it will be postponed. The main question is what will happen in the elections to be held in October next year. A lot of bills have been passed that show that the ruling party is trying to bring Georgia closer to Russia. This is something that the population of Georgia, the vast majority of which is 80%, has been saying for 30 years that they do not want," Zurabishvili said.

Commenting on the recent speech of the founder of the Georgian Dream, who assured the public that the ruling party will continue to promote the law despite criticism at home and abroad, the President said that in this way Bidzina Ivanishvili "declared Georgia's partners - the West and the European Union - enemies and agents trying to organize a revolution in Georgia. Therefore, citizens will have to vote for Europe or Russia in the upcoming elections.

"This law is a symbol, but in reality there is a choice - a decision, an existential choice that Georgia must make in the elections: Europe or Russia," Zurabishvili said.

As Ukrinform reported, the Georgian parliament on Wednesday, May 1, approved the law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" in the second reading. 83 deputies voted in favor, 23 against. President Salome Zurabishvili had previously promised to veto the document if it was adopted in the third reading. However, the ruling Georgian Dream party has enough votes to override the presidential veto.

The United States condemned the draft law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" and the violence used by the authorities against protesters in Tbilisi.