GEORGIA’S ruling party pledged today to withdraw a draft law criticised as a threat to media freedom and civil society following several days of massive protests in the capital Tbilisi.

The Georgian Dream party and its allies said they were dropping the legislation, citing the “controversy in society” triggered by the proposals.

The Bill would have required media and non-governmental organisations receiving over 20 per cent of their funding from outside Georgia to register as “agents of foreign influence”.

The rule would have been similar to a US law under which individuals working on behalf of foreign entities must register with the Department of Justice and file regular reports on their activities.

But opponents claimed that it was inspired by a similar law in Russia and that it could hinder Georgia’s aspirations to join Nato and the European Union.

The U-turn followed several days of mass protests in Tbilisi, which culminated on Wednesday night with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets in the city centre.

Police brutally dispersed the rally using tear gas and, according to the Interior Ministry, 133 protesters were arrested.

Legislators insisted in a statement issued today that the population had been misled about the initiative.

“The Bill was labelled falsely as a ‘Russian law’ and its adoption in the first reading was presented in the eyes of a part of the public as a departure from the European course,” the statement said.

Supporters of the Bill argued that it was needed to ensure that the work of entities financed by representatives of foreign states was transparent.

But European Parliament members Maria Kaljurand and Sven Mikser, top figures in relations with Georgia, warned that the proposed law went “directly against the Georgian authorities’ declared ambition to receive candidate status for EU membership”.