Month: May 2024

Concluding the official visit to Qatar, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan had a working discussion with the staff of Armenia’s Embassy in Doha.

Discussions with Qatari authorities and further steps to enhance the bilateral agenda were touched upon.

Riot police in Georgia fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds protesting against a bill seen by the opposition as targeting media freedoms.

Pro-EU protesters clashed with police outside parliament, denouncing the law.

Dozens of people were arrested and an opposition party leader was hurt.

Georgian MPs have given their initial backing to the “foreign agent” bill, despite the EU warning that it could harm Tbilisi’s bid to join the bloc. Parliament is expected to hold a second vote on the bill on Wednesday.

Protests against the bill began in mid-April, after the ruling Georgian Dream party proposed measures requiring non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and independent media to register as organizations “bearing the interests of a foreign power”, if they receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign donors.

They would also be monitored by Georgia’s justice ministry and could be forced to share sensitive information – or face hefty fines of up to 25,000 Georgian lari ($9,400).