Thousands of Georgians gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi on Monday to demonstrate against a proposed bill that has been likened to Russia's controversial "foreign agent" law. Critics argue that the legislation, supported by the ruling Georgian Dream party, could be used to suppress dissent within the country.

Protesters voiced their concerns over the bill, chanting "Russians! Russians!" at the police officers who surrounded Georgia's parliament. Many of them believed that passing such anti-democratic laws would hinder Georgia's chances of EU membership. "Georgia won't be admitted into the EU with such anti-democratic laws, that's why we will not let them pass it," one protester stated.

At least 14 protesters were detained for public order violations, as reported by Georgia's Interior Ministry. Inside the parliament, opposition lawmaker Aleko Elisashvili resorted to physical protest by punching the parliamentary leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mamuka Mdinaradze, in opposition to the proposed bill.

The bill in question requires non-commercial organizations and news media that receive 20% or more funding from overseas sources to register as "pursuing the interests of a foreign power." This is a revised version of a similar proposal from last year that sought to identify these groups as "agents of foreign influence."

Georgia's pro-EU President Salome Zourabichvili has vowed to veto the bill if it is passed by parliament. However, her term is set to conclude later this year, as per the constitutional changes in Georgia. The next president will be chosen by an electoral college consisting of all members of parliament. The European Union, which granted Georgia candidate status in December, has expressed its concerns and deemed the draft law "incompatible" with the bloc's values.

The widespread protests in Tbilisi highlight the division within Georgian society regarding the bill and its potential impact on democratic freedoms. As the debate continues, the fate of the bill and its implications for Georgia's international standing will undoubtedly play a crucial role in the nation's future.