A country that has been firmly pro-American and pro-European in the past decade or so, and whose streets and alleys are either flying the American flag or the flag of the European Union, has broken out into large-scale riots. The other day, the Georgian parliament passed the Law on Foreign Agents on first reading, a bill that has been stuck in parliament for many years and has been blocked by some pro-Western politicians. Now it is barely beginning to advance, and as soon as there are some results, the siege of the Western world begins.
Protesters waved Georgian, Ukrainian and European flags outside the Georgian parliament
The core of the so-called Foreign Agents Law, which is that non-governmental organizations and media that receive more than 20% of foreign funds will be defined as "foreign agents", which need to be registered with the government, reported regularly, and restricted in their actions. The role of the bill is to let the government and the people better understand the scope of activities of foreign forces in their own countries, so as to protect the core interests of the country and the people, and avoid interference in the internal affairs of other countries or subversion of the regime.
However, the bill was still in the advanced stage, and Western countries immediately concluded that Georgia was pro-Russian. This, they argue, would result in Georgia being undemocratic, unliberal and clearly inconsistent with the values of Washington and Brussels. Then a mob poured into the streets and fought passionately with the military and police, who stormed parliament with the flags of the United States and the European Union, even if the police used water cannons and tear gas.
Protesters tried to attack parliament and block the entrance to the building
This face is like Sri Lanka, where the country went bankrupt last year, and the people could not afford to eat, so it was revealed. But is this Foreign Agents Act so terrible? First of all, Georgia is pro-Russian, it definitely does not exist. In 2008, the two countries fought a war in South Ossetia, and now there is a territorial dispute in Abkhazia, and the Georgian government cannot be pro-Russian. Last year they also held a referendum on whether to go to war against Russia.
Second, similar laws abound in Europe and the United States, with the United States passing the Foreign Agents Registration Act in 1938 and Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. This kind of bill to protect national sovereignty, no matter from any point of view, has nothing to do with other countries, so why should Western countries resolutely oppose it, and even incite the people of that country to demonstrate and storm the National Assembly?
Some protesters threw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement officers
Georgia's geographical location is the first reason. They are located in the Caucasus, next to the Chechen Republic. When there was a conflict with Russia, he did not make trouble for Putin. Such a country in a "prime location", the United States obviously wants to hold it in its own hands, and now Georgia wants to protect its own sovereignty, which of course hinders the efforts of the United States to incite regional tensions and put pressure on Russia.
Secondly, in the year of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, although Georgia shouted to support Ukraine, but did not take any practical action, they refused to provide assistance to Ukraine with Soviet-made weapons, and also called on Georgians not to help Ukraine fight, as a small country with a population of only 3.71 million, Georgia just wants to protect itself and not be involved in the war, but in the eyes of Western countries, anti-Russia is not complete, which is equivalent to not being completely anti-Russian.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 66 people were detained during the dispersal operation, including opposition leader Zuba Japaridze
For many years, in order to make Georgia anti-Russian, the United States and the West have infiltrated the country very strongly, and the main way is precisely to support "foreign agents" in the country, and the US State Department will approve a sum of money every year to give various non-governmental agencies to Georgia to hold lectures and hold rallies to publicize the advantages of the United States and the West, and smear Russia.
According to US media reports, in February, the US State Department approved the latest funds, a total of 250,000 US dollars, spending this money can mess up Russia's backyard, which is indeed very cost-effective. At the same time, Blinken's visit to Central Asian countries a few days ago also inspected schools and research institutions run by Americans, and vigorously appreciated the efforts of pro-American people to brainwash young people in these countries.
Demonstrators wearing Georgian flags
As for the economic development of countries like Georgia and Central Asia, whether there is national sovereignty and a bright future, the United States will not care, as long as they can create trouble for Russia, their goal will be achieved.