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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Georgia Protests Future (TV)
HEADLINE: Georgia’s protestors vow to stay on streets until government falls
TEASER: ‘Foreign agent’ law comes into force, prompting comparisons to Russian crackdown
PUBLISHED AT: 06/12/2024 at 9:45AM
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Tbilisi
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Baragona, MAS, djones approved
VIDEO SOURCE (S): APTN, VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:06
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVR
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Thousands of people have taken to the streets of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, in recent weeks to protest a new ‘foreign agent’ law, which critics have compared to similar legislation in Russia. The law is now in force – but its opponents have vowed to continue their demonstrations until crucial elections scheduled for later this year. Henry Ridgwell reports from Tbilisi.]]
((Mandatory courtesy: Tabula Media / Facebook))
This is David Katsarava – a prominent anti-Russian protester in Georgia – attending a demonstration against the foreign agent law on May 14.
He says he was severely beaten five times during his detention,
((courtesy David Katsarava))
suffering injuries that require surgery. He was later released and has not been charged with any crime
He told VOA that the protests must go on – and he will rejoin them in the coming days.
((David Katsarava, Anti-Russian Activist (in English) ))
“We have now the changed reality and we must continue fighting. Georgia has changed and changed its direction to Russia. We must fight until to the end because otherwise if we stop, if we will be scared and we will stay at home, so that will be a finish for free Georgia.”
The new law requires any organization receiving more than 20 percent funding from overseas to register as a ‘foreign agent.’ Critics have compared it to similar Russian legislation.
Fridon Injia is among the Georgian lawmakers who supported the bill.
((Fridon Injia, Georgian MP (in Georgian)))
“It doesn’t make sense why the state budget should be transparent - but any funding from foreign sources should not be transparent in the same way.”
The European Union warns the law is incompatible with Georgia’s EU membership aspirations. The United States has imposed sanctions on some Georgian lawmakers. The law is now in force. But its opponents say it’s just the first battle.
((Radio: Giga Bokeria is chairman of the European Georgia Party.))
((Giga Bokeria, European Georgia Party Chairman (in English) ))
“We have elections in October. These protests will continue until then. And our goal will be just like 30 years ago - to achieve a fundamental change. And this fundamental change is to remove the government, which is a proxy of the enemy of our sovereignty and enemy of our liberty inside the country.”
The protesters say they will not give up.
((Radio: Elene Ramishvili is one of them.))
((Elene Ramishvili, Protester (female, in English) ))
“No matter that the law is already in place, we keep on protesting. Because we want that Europe sees our approach and they support us.”
((Radio: Protestor Giorgi Japiashvili))
((Giorgi Japiashvili, Protester, male, in English) ))
“There’s a big chance that they also will try to get fake results of the elections and we’ll have to be ready for the action in case this happens.”
Polls conducted before the foreign agent law suggest around 80 percent of Georgians support EU membership.
((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News))
The protests that were first triggered by the foreign agent law have changed into anti-government demonstrations. The question is whether this will build into force powerful enough to change Georgia’s future direction when voters cast their ballots in October this year.
((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News, Tbilisi.))
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