TBILISI  -   Some 10,000 people took to the streets Monday in the Georgian cap­ital Tbilisi to protest a controversial “foreign influence” bill that critics say mirrors repressive Russian leg­islation used to silence dissent. 

The ruling Georgian Dream party re-introduced the bill to parliament earlier this month, a year after it was forced to drop a similar measure fol­lowing mass protests.

A former Soviet republic, Georgia has sought for years to deepen rela­tions with the West, but the current ruling party is accused of trying to steer the mountainous Caucasus na­tion toward closer ties with Russia.

Chanting “No to the Russian law!” and waving Georgian and Europe­an Union flags, protesters gathered outside the parliament building as the legislature’s legal affairs com­mittee held its first hearing on the proposed law.

Earlier, scuffles broke out in the committee chamber during the hear­ing, as an opposition MP punched in the head a ruling party lawmaker who co-sponsored the bill.

The draft law has sparked outrage in Georgia with many arguing it un­dermines Georgia’s longstanding bid for EU membership.

“We reject this law, which is an­ti-European, it’s a copy-paste from Russia’s draconian law,” said one of the demonstrators, student Maka Kvirikadze. “Georgia won’t be admit­ted into the EU with such anti-demo­cratic laws, that’s why we will not let them pass it,” said another protester, dentist Giorgi Lashkhi.

“Georgia belongs to Europe, it will never be Russia’s backyard again.”

‘SABOTAGING EUROPEAN PROSPECTS’ 

Last week, around 8,000 people staged a rally in central Tbilisi, fol­lowing the ruling party’s surprise announcement that it planned to pass the bill in May. According to the bill, any independent organisation that receives more than 20 percent of funding from abroad is required to register as an “organisation pur­suing the interests of a foreign pow­er.” That was a change from last year’s proposal, which used the term “agent of foreign influence.”

Georgian Dream said it changed the wording after accepting that the initial one had negative conno­tations. The term “foreign agent” is rooted in the Soviet past and sug­gests such people are traitors and enemies of the state.

Analysts said that the ruling party -- widely suspected of covert cooper­ation with the Kremlin -- sees West­ern funding for Georgia’s pro-democ­racy NGOs and independent media as a challenge to its grip on power. “Georgian Dream makes no secret of the fact that the law is aimed at neutralising Western influence,” po­litical analyst Ghia Nodia told AFP. “The party keeps saying that it steers Georgia towards the EU, but in fact they are sabotaging Georgia’s Euro­pean prospects,” which are support­ed by some 80 percent of population, according to opinion polls.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Ko­bakhidze -- known for his anti-West­ern rhetoric -- has insisted his cab­inet is committed to the country’s European aspirations.

SANCTIONS RISK

The European Commission has called on Tbilisi not to pass the legis­lation, saying it contradicts the dem­ocratic reform agenda which Tbilisi is required to pursue to progress on its path towards EU membership.

In December, the EU granted Geor­gia official candidate status but said Tbilisi would have to reform its ju­dicial and electoral systems, reduce political polarisation, improve press freedom and curtail the power of oli­garchs before membership talks are formally launched.