Georgia presses on with 'foreign agents' bill opposed by EU

People take part in a protest against a draft bill on "foreign agents" in Tbilisi, Georgia April 16, 2024. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/ File Photo

TBILISI (Reuters) -Georgia's parliament gave initial approval on Wednesday to a bill on "foreign agents" that the European Union said risked blocking the country's path to membership and triggered protests for a third straight night.

The fate of the bill is widely seen as a test of whether Georgia, 33 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, intends to pursue a path of integration with the West or move closer towards Russia.