On April 4, Georgian Dream leaders announced plans to reintroduce a bill on foreign influence that had been withdrawn last year due to public outcry. They stated that the bill was unchanged except for the replacement of “agent” with “organization of foreign influence.”
This sparked anger among the people as the bill’s content remained the same and the leaders had previously said the issue was closed. The sudden revival of the bill raised suspicions of outside Russian influence.
Information Battle
Last year, civil society swiftly countered the proposed Foreign Agents Law by rejecting the label “agents” and framing the issue as a Russian imposition. Their message of “No to Russian law” resonated widely, catching the government off guard in an information battle. Despite government attempts to dismiss the protests as misled youth, they couldn’t overcome the people’s resistance.
Now, in 2024, Georgian Dream has reorganized itself in order to better navigate the information war. Civil society continues to rally against the law, now incorporating “Yes to Europe” into its slogan. Its stance “No to Russian law, Yes to Europe” emphasizes the threat the law poses not only to civil society and media freedom, but also to the country’s European aspirations, as European leaders have warned.
Georgian Dream counters with the slogan “Law of Transparency,” asserting that opponents fear transparency without providing evidence of Russian influence. They’ve launched an information campaign with posters and graphics claiming the law aligns with European, not Russian, standards.
These and similar posters were actively shared on social networks by local government representatives, civil servants, and members of Georgian Dream. Despite the preparation of this information campaign, Georgian Dream’s rhetoric was rendered ineffective by the strong statements from ambassadors, the European Union, and the U.S., asserting that this law is unrelated to them and its adoption may divert Georgia from the European path. Subsequently, they sought to reinforce the narrative that Georgia is an independent state and that no one has the authority to interfere in its internal affairs.
In response to civil society’s “Yes to Europe” message, Georgian Dream introduced a new slogan, “Towards Europe with dignity,” encapsulating the notion that Georgia will pursue accession to the European Union on its own terms, with respect for its traditions and independent decision-making, free from external directives. This shift has been accompanied by hateful anti-LGBT propaganda. Public information sessions were held in the regions to discuss another law, “Family Values and Protection of Minors,” which masked hateful sentiments under the guise of preserving traditions and values. In essence, the West seemed to be portrayed as imposing directives aimed at eroding Georgia’s traditions and values while promoting LGBT propaganda.
In response to Georgian Dream’s campaign, civil society organized substantive discussions to explain why the proposed law diverged from Western norms and to highlight its inherent dangers. They also created informational posters and cards. Crucially, civil society’s information campaign gained traction with the backing of Western partners. Even those not directly affected by the law recognized the partners’ sharp reaction and felt that its initiation jeopardizes Georgia’s European future.
Defiance
The resurgence of protests against the reinstated law is most visibly expressed through rallies that have been held in Tbilisi for 21 consecutive days. This wave of dissent is gradually spreading across the entire country, with other cities in Georgia recently joining Tbilisi in organizing protest marches.
The initial rally in Tbilisi took place on April 8, led by civil society organizations and media representatives. Despite protests and warnings from strategic partners, the Legal Committee passed the law on April 15, fuelling continued opposition. CSOs have set up a unified hotline to assist those detained or arrested by the police and are preparing for a sustained period of dissent.
The driving force behind these protests is primarily the youth, who are less influenced by traditional propaganda channels such as television. Instead, they rely on platforms such as TikTok, Telegram, Instagram, and Facebook for information, making them less susceptible to government or opposition narratives. Their quest for freedom poses a significant challenge to the authorities.
Despite Georgian Dream’s efforts to discredit the youth, sympathy and support for their cause is growing. One notable instance of the government’s attempt to depict them as a destructive force, propagating against traditional values and religion, occurred during the April 20 rally. Here, the youth marched to Heroes’ Square and made a solemn pledge at the monument to Georgian soldiers to safeguard the nation’s freedom and unity:
“We will stand by each other, and we will defend Georgia’s statehood. Our language, our fatherland, our unity.”
The remarkable turnout and unprecedented demonstration by the youth left many impressed. However, Georgian Dream seized the moment to insinuate that the youth’s intentions were to dismantle the nation’s faith and religion. In Georgia, a slogan coined by the esteemed national figure, Ilia Chavchavadze, emphasizes “fatherland, language, faith”. The youth substituted “faith” with “unity”, providing the Georgian Dream with an opportunity to attack by exploiting religious sensitivities. They implied that dissenting forces aimed to undermine the nation’s fundamental value of faith.
Georgian Dream often exploits faith and religion in its propaganda to manipulate public sentiment. They attempted to use this situation to discredit the youth. The following day, they decorated Tbilisi’s streets with posters showcasing the words “fatherland, language, faith,” emphasizing the latter, while Tbilisi’s largest church loomed in the background.
A few days later, on Easter Eve, the youth responded by gathering at the Kashveti Church on Rustaveli Avenue (the main protest site) to celebrate Easter together. This gathering was one of the most notable, impressive, and largest in recent years. The youth illuminated “language, fatherland, unity, faith” with candles, symbolizing their stance against the manipulation suggested by Georgian Dream’s rhetoric.
Furthermore, the youth often showcase their respect for the nation’s cultural heritage by performing traditional Georgian dances and songs at rallies, which helps to reduce susceptibility to political manipulation. It appears that Georgian Dream is losing ground in the information war, as more and more people, including renowned artists, writers and most notably members of the national football team, who recently achieved heroic status by qualifying for EURO 2024 for the first time in history, are aligning themselves with the youth and urging the government to repeal the law.