Thousands of people took part in protests against the adoption of the law on foreign agents in Tbilisi near the parliament building. As last time, the police used rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to disperse them.

Eight protesters were taken to hospital. They suffered injuries from rubber bullets, intoxication and damage to the respiratory tract from tear gas and pepper spray.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, condemned the violence during the dispersal of the protest in Tbilisi: “The Georgian people want a European future for their country. Georgia is at a crossroads. She must stay the course on her way to Europe."

The bill “On Transparency of Foreign Influence,” known as the Law on Foreign Agents, was adopted by the Georgian Parliament in the second reading yesterday. Earlier, the country's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that it would be adopted in the third final reading in two weeks, and the president's veto would be overcome in four weeks.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili noted on the British television company Sky News that the ruling Georgian Dream party is trying to bring Georgia closer to Russia. In her opinion, not only this bill is important, but also future parliamentary elections.

“Georgia must make a choice: Europe or Russia. The population of Georgia does not accept what the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, stated two days ago. He said that the West, the European Union, our partners are enemies, they are agents and are trying to organize a revolution in Georgia,” Zurabishvili said.

The Patriarchate of Georgia called on the authorities and the opposition to find a compromise. “We believe that the time has come to sit down at the negotiating table to find a peaceful solution to the political crisis that has arisen,” the statement said.