Georgian MP Punched In The Face As Fight Breaks Out In Parliament (Video)
A parliamentary session in Georgia descended into chaos as members engaged in physical altercations over a contentious “foreign agent” bill, with opposition leader Aleko Elisashvili striking a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The incident occurred during a heated debate over the proposed legislation, which critics argue will pull Georgia closer to Russian influence.
The brawl erupted as a leading member of the Georgian Dream party, which supports the bill, was addressing parliament.
Elisashvili’s punch sparked a series of further scuffles among the lawmakers, capturing national and international attention.
Following the fight, Elisashvili was met with applause by supporters outside the parliament building, where he made a passionate statement against the bill and its implications for Georgian sovereignty.
“I got beaten, but if it’s for Georgia, then so be it. F**k them! We must shove this law up their a**es. There is no time for politeness, they are dragging us directly into Russia. We are either Georgians or slaves. And we are not slaves,” Elisashvili told reporters outside the parliament.
The controversial bill in question would require any organisation receiving foreign funding to register as a “foreign agent,” a move that many fear will stigmatize and hinder operations of non-governmental organizations and media outlets.
It has sparked widespread protests in Tbilisi, with demonstrators labeling it a “Russian law.”
In response to the violence in parliament, five opposition MPs, including Giorgi Vashadze, Paata Manjgaladze, Ana Natsvlishvili, Levan Khabeishvili, and Khatia Dekanoidze, were expelled from the Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill.
Meanwhile, more than 60 civil society organisations and media outlets have declared their refusal to comply with the legislation should it pass.
European countries and the EU have voiced opposition to the bill, expressing concerns over Georgia’s democratic trajectory and its aspirations to join the European Union.
However, proponents like Givi Mikanadze, a Georgian Dream lawmaker, defend the bill as a necessary measure for transparency, arguing that “Georgian society absolutely deserves to know which organisations are being financed, from which sources.”
As the debate intensifies, the future of the bill remains uncertain, with both sides standing firm in their positions.
