DOZENS of Georgian MPs came to blows in parliament after the leader of the opposition sucker-punched a minister in the middle of a speech.
Those watching the live broadcast were horrified as the furious fist-fight broke out and the session descended into anarchy.
The scuffle erupted today as the ruling party tried to advance a controversial bill on “foreign agents” that has been criticised by Western countries and sparked protests at home.
Footage broadcast on Georgian television showed Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, speaking from the dispatch box.
Opposition leader Aleko Elisashvili then launches himself fist-first into Mdinaradze, knocking him off his feet with his sheer force.
Elisashvili then continued to pummel his opponent as other MPs are seen frog-jumping over the wooden pews to get involved in the clash.
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Lawmakers from all across the room jumped into the chaos, throwing fists as some tried to help battered Mdinaradze to safety.
The broadcast only managed to cut out when the fighting – an occasional occurrence in Georgia’s often raucous parliament – had mostly simmered.
Elisashvili was then escorted out of parliament.
Other footage showed him being greeted with loud cheers by protesters outside the parliament building.
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Hundreds of demonstrators have gathered ahead of a mass protest tonight that civil society organisations called for to fight against the “foreign agent” bill.
The Georgian Dream party said this month it would reintroduce legislation requiring organisations that accept funds from abroad to register as foreign agents or face fines.
Under the bill, non-government groups and media would be targeted if they take over 20% of foreign funding.
The bill has been met with fierce opposition, with many claiming it is anti-democratic. It had been shelved 13 months ago after intense protests.
The new legislation has strained relations with European countries and the United States – who all oppose the bill.
The EU, which gave Georgia candidate status in December, has said the law is incompatible with the bloc’s values.
Georgian Dream claims it wants the country to join the EU and Nato – but has been busy strengthening ties with Russia and is facing accusations of authoritarianism.
It says the bill is necessary to combat what it calls “pseudo-liberal values” imposed by foreigners and to promote “transparency”.
Georgian critics have blasted the bill as “the Russian law”, comparing it to similar legislation used by the Kremlin to crackdown on dissent.
Russia is widely unpopular in Georgia, due to Moscow’s support for the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Russia alongside the Georgian separatist groups, defeated Georgia in a short week-long war in 2008.
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Georgia is due to hold elections by October.
Opinion polls show that Georgian Dream remains the most popular party, but has lost ground since 2020.
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Iona Cleave
