Georgia's President, Salome Zourabichvili, has vetoed the highly criticized "Russian law" targeting media, which has resulted in weeks of mass protests in the country. The law, if implemented, would require media outlets and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to register as "pursuing the interests of a foreign power" if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.

Critics of the bill argue that it closely resembles legislation employed by Russia to silence opponents, and fear that it will hinder Georgia's aspirations to join the European Union. President Zourabichvili, who has been increasingly at odds with Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, asserted that the law contradicts the country's Constitution and "all European standards," emphasizing that it "must be abolished."

However, despite President Zourabichvili's veto, Georgian Dream, which holds a majority in parliament, is expected to override it in the coming days. The ruling party maintains that the law is intended to promote transparency and safeguard the country from what it perceives as harmful foreign influence. Many Georgian journalists and activists strongly dispute this characterization, arguing that they are already subject to sufficient audit and monitoring requirements. They believe that the true purpose of the law is to stigmatize them and suppress debate ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in October.

The European Union, which offered Georgia candidate status last December, has expressed concerns over the law and the government's handling of protests. EU officials and Western leaders have condemned what they consider to be a wave of violence against opposition politicians, activists, journalists, and their families. European Council President Charles Michel emphasized that Georgia must respect the fundamental principles of the rule of law and democracy if they wish to join the EU.

The tensions surrounding the "Russian law" underscore the strained relationship between Russia and Georgia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 2008, Russia engaged in a brief war with Georgia when the latter attempted to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. Since then, Moscow has recognized South Ossetia and another separatist region, Abkhazia, as independent states and bolstered its military presence there. The status of these regions remains a contentious issue, although Russia-Georgia relations have improved in recent years.

As the country awaits the parliament's decision on President Zourabichvili's veto, the fate of the "Russian law" and its impact on Georgia's democratic values and EU integration aspirations hangs in the balance.