Does Georgia want to become a Russian satellite again?

The oligarch behind Georgia's pivot to Russia

https://www.dw.com/en/the-oligarch-behind-georgias-pivot-to-russia/a-69165038

Maria Katamadze

5 hours ago5 hours ago

Bidzina Ivanishvili, an oligarch and Georgia's former prime minister, is thought to have masterminded the "foreign influence" bill, which critics see as a sign of Georgia's shift toward Russia. But who is he?

Despite mass pro-EU rallies and pressure from the West, Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has shown no sign of repealing the "foreign influence" bill.

Critics of the bill, who have dubbed it the "Russian law," have said the Georgian government intends to implement similar tactics to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on opposition, civil society and independent media.

If signed into law, it would require nongovernmental organizations and individuals receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as entities "bearing the interests of a foreign power."

The government has claimed the bill is aimed at transparency. But opponents have said its goal is to steer the country away from Europe and closer to Russia.