The legislation was set in stone despite a final attempt by president Salome Zourabichvili to veto it.
Georgia’s parliament has passed a controversial foreign agent law that could jeopardise its path to EU membership.
The new law requires media organisations and NGOs to register as foreign agents if they receive at least 20% of their funds from abroad, imposing hefty fines on those who fail to comply.
Georgia’s governing authorities claim the new measure, which they have dubbed the “Transparency Law”, will curb alleged foreign attempts to sway domestic politics.
But critics warn it could significantly restrict freedom of speech, as well as sabotage Georgia’s application to become an EU member.
Brussels has repeatedly urged Georgian lawmakers to ditch the law and remain “on the road to Europe“. Washington has voiced similar concerns.
The EU offered Georgia candidate status last December, while making it clear that Tbilisi needs to implement key policy recommendations for its membership bid to progress.
The legisation’s detractors have called it the “Russian law” because they say it mirrors similar legislation adopted by the Kremlin to target, discriminate and ultimately outlaw political opponents.
The opposition United National Movement has described the bill as part of efforts by Georgian Dream to drag the country into Russia’s sphere of influence – claims it vehemently denies.
Georgian Dream was founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and billionaire who made his fortune in Russia.
Georgia’s president Salome Zourabichvili is among the bill’s critics. She vetoed it less than two weeks ago, warning that the so-called Russia-law “contradicts our constitution, European standards, and therefore represents an obstacle to our European path”.
But a parliament committee on Monday overrode her move, clearing the way for Tuesday’s final approval.
Over the past month, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Georgia to try to dissuade lawmakers from bringing forward the bill in parliament.
Ahead of Tuesday’s final reading, hundreds of protesters gathered outside parliament in Tbilisi, some of them wrapped in EU flags.
Dozens were detained in clashes with the police, including media personalities.