Ukraine can sympathise with Georgia’s pro-EU movement

Protests that broke out in Tbilisi against adopting a controversial Russian-style law have turned into a pro-European movement with political demands. The law could have seen media and non-government groups which take funding from abroad classed as ‘foreign agents’. Although the Georgian government has released all arrested protesters and dropped the proposed law, which copied repressive Russian legislation and threatened to ban NGOs and independent media from operating in the country, the opposition is now demanding the resignation of the current Georgian government – along with early elections. 

Looking at the EU flags raised by upset Georgians, Ukrainians are comparing the rallies in Tbilisi with the 2014 Maidan revolution in Kyiv. Back then, former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign a political association and trade agreement with the EU, instead choosing closer ties with Russia. Georgians have taken to the streets for similar reasons, fearing that adopting the law on ‘foreign agents’ would mean the end of the country’s long-standing aspirations to join the EU and would shift the country towards authoritarianism.