**Leaders Blame Foreign Donors for Protests in Georgia**
Two leaders of the ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD), have accused civil society organizations and their foreign donors of being behind the protests in Georgia. They claim that these groups are trying to “stage a revolution” and are using violence.
**What Did They Say?**
Irakli Kobakhidze, one of the GD leaders, said that the continuous protests in Georgia are fueled by foreign funding aimed at “fueling radicalism” and “polarization.” He accused foreign actors of attempting to orchestrate a revolution through “non-transparent means.”
Kobakhidze also claimed that the government introduced the Foreign Agents’ law to remove this pressure. He said that the government will take all necessary measures to “eliminate” such groups and NGOs from the political landscape.
**Police Raids**
The police raided political parties and activist groups yesterday, arresting leaders. Kobakhidze blamed the “radical opposition” and their “affiliated NGOs” for the street violence in Tbilisi.
**Foreign Diplomats Criticized**
Kobakhidze also criticized foreign diplomats, mainly U.S. and EU ambassadors, for their alleged involvement in supporting radical opposition groups. He expressed confidence that after U.S. President Donald Trump‘s inauguration, Georgia would be in a better position to engage with international partners.
**The Law So Far**
The Foreign Agents’ law took effect in August 2024, following a delay related to legal challenges. Most CSOs refused to comply. However, the authorities have not yet applied sanctions for failure to register.
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