The Russia File

In December 2023, Georgia was granted official European Union candidate status, but the country's path to EU membership may now be at risk because of the recently adopted law “on transparency of foreign influence.” This controversial legislation targeting media and NGOs has sparked mass street protests and, coupled with violence against protesters and a bill that would restrict LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms, has raised concerns about democratic backsliding in Georgia. In this episode of The Russia File, Nina Rozhanovskaya talks with journalist Joshua Kucera about the motivations of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Georgia's struggle to balance between Russia and the West, and the social and political climate in the country ahead of the parliamentary election. For more information including show notes and relevant timestamps, visit our site: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/audio/georgian-politics-after-controversial-foreign-agent-law