Georgian lawmaker PUNCHES rival politician in face to stop him from introducing controversial law ushering in Putin-style crackdown – sparking mass brawl in parliament

A Georgian lawmaker punched a rival politician in the face today over the government’s reintroduction of a controversial ‘foreign influence’ bill, sparking a mass brawl in parliament.

Critics say the legislation mirrors repressive Russian laws used by Vladimir Putin and his Kremlin regime to silence and intimidate dissidents.

The ruling Georgian Dream party announced the proposal earlier this month, reviving a similar bill that was dropped a year ago after mass protests.

Video from a parliamentary hearing showed an opposition MP headbutting a speaking ruling party lawmaker co-sponsoring the bill, prompting a mass brawl to break out on the floor and cutting the live feed.

Video of the incident shows MP Aleko Elisashvili entering from Mamuka Mdinaradze’s left, swinging his fist and making contact with his face. Another politician sitting behind the loudspeaker is seen watching with his mouth open.

As Elisashvili and Mdinaradze fall from the podium together, a mass of bodies surround them and work to subdue the attacking MP.

Additional footage showed other suit-clad politicians in the melee swinging punches, while others desperately tried to calm the situation.

In angry comments outside the building in the wake of the incident, Elisashvili told reporters: ‘I was beaten, but if it’s for Georgia, so be it!

‘We’ve got to push this law into them,’ he said, clenching his fist at a cheering crowd. ‘There is no time for politeness. They are pulling us straight into Russia.

“We are either Georgians or slaves – and we are not slaves,” he added.

The action came as dozens of Georgians rallied outside parliament against the proposed law, which they claim undermines Georgia’s bid for EU membership.

Ahead of a rally planned for Monday evening, protesters could be seen unfurling a large EU flag and chanting: ‘No to the Russian law!’

“Georgia’s society is strong enough not to allow the country to slide into Russian-style authoritarianism,” said Saba Gotua, an architect.

‘We will not let the Georgian Dream waste Georgia’s historic chance to become an EU member.’

Georgia has sought for years to deepen relations with the West, but the current ruling party is accused of trying to restore ties between the former Soviet republic and Russia.

According to the bill, any independent organization that receives more than 20 percent of its support from abroad must register as an “organization that looks after the interests of a foreign power”.

That was a change from last year’s proposal, which used the term ‘agent of foreign influence’.

Georgian Dream said it changed the wording after accepting that the original had negative connotations.

The term ‘foreign agent’ is rooted in the Soviet past and implies that such people are traitors and enemies of the state.

Last week, around 8,000 people staged a demonstration in central Tbilisi following the ruling party’s surprise announcement that it planned to pass the bill in May.

Analysts said the ruling party – widely suspected of colluding with the Kremlin – sees Western funding for Georgia’s pro-democracy NGOs and independent media as a challenge to its grip on power.

“Georgian Dream does not hide that the law aims to neutralize Western influence,” political analyst Ghia Nodia told AFP.

‘The party keeps saying it is steering Georgia towards the EU, but in fact they are sabotaging Georgia’s European prospects’, which according to opinion polls is supported by around 80 percent of the population.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze – known for his anti-Western rhetoric – has insisted his cabinet is committed to the country’s European aspirations.

In an attempt to defend the ruling party’s case, he invited ambassadors from the EU countries, which have criticized the draft law, to live televised debates.

The European Commission has urged Tbilisi not to adopt the legislation, saying it runs counter to the democratic reform agenda Tbilisi is committed to pursuing to make progress on its path to EU membership.

In December, the EU granted Georgia official candidate status, but said Tbilisi would have to reform its legal and electoral systems, reduce political polarization, improve press freedom and curtail the power of oligarchs before membership talks formally begin.

The US said last week that passing the law would “derail Georgia from its European path.”

“We are deeply concerned that this bill, if passed, will harm civil society organizations (and)… hinder independent media organizations,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

“Stay tuned,” he said when asked about the prospect of the US slapping sanctions on Georgia.

The passage of the controversial legislation is likely to further deepen divisions in Georgia, whose staunchly pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili has denounced the bill as damaging to democracy.

Traditionally seen as a leader of democratic transformation among former Soviet countries, Georgia has been criticized in recent years for perceived democratic backsliding.