Students of Tbilisi State University announce a strike: they demand to withdraw the law on foreign agents

Some students of the Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University have announced a strike demanding the withdrawal of the draft law on foreign agents, UNN reports with reference to Novosti Georgia.

Details

Starting Monday, May 13, they promise to boycott the educational process. Instead of the university, the students will go to the Georgian parliament, where the legal affairs committee will begin consideration of the controversial initiative in the third reading.

"We have decided that we will not enter the classroom on Monday. From 9 a.m., we will stand on Rustaveli Avenue and protest against the attempt to legalize the current Putin dictatorship in the country," they said.

The initiators of the strike called on teachers to support them. They also appeal to students of other universities.

"Come out of your classrooms and join our initiative. Georgia will not become Russia, and we, the generation born in independent Georgia, will be the guarantors of this - let's go to Europe! There is strength in unity!" the students say.

Context 

On May 1, the Parliament of Georgia voted in favor of the law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" in the second reading.

In the evening of that day, thousands of people gathered near the Georgian parliament, demanding the withdrawal of the law, which was popularly nicknamed "Russian". According to local media reports, riot police used water cannons and tear gas against demonstrators at the building's official entrances. There were also reports of the use of rubber bullets. 

A total of 15 people were hospitalized in Georgia during the dispersal of a rally near the parliament in Tbilisi on May 1-2, including law enforcement officers.

Recall

More than 30 MEPs called on European Commission Vice-President and EU Diplomacy Chief Josep Borrell to suspend Georgia's EU candidate status.