Georgian Parliament Speaker: Brussels cannot make criminals victims by repeating false narratives

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday criticised what he described as Brussels’ continued reliance on “disinformation” regarding Georgia, arguing that the European Union’s policy toward the country had reached a “dead end”.

His remarks came after the EU representative to the United Nations reiterated allegations of “arbitrary detentions” and “repression” in Georgia, claims Papuashvili dismissed as false.

“Falsehood cannot become the truth simply because Brussels persistently repeats it”, he said.

Papuashvili alleged that violent protests against the Georgian government had been partly financed with EU funds, including campaigns that, he claimed, justified and encouraged the use of Molotov cocktails.

He further argued that an attempt to overthrow the government on October 4 last year was launched after what he described as a “virtual green light” from Brussels.

According to the Parliament Speaker, the Georgian people and government successfully defended the country’s freedom, sovereignty and national interests.

He further claimed that the “revolutionary process” funded from abroad in 2024 had failed and that the “false reality” created to undermine the government had ultimately collapsed.

At the same time, he said the sponsors of the process had become “prisoners” of the narratives they promoted and had so far been unable to abandon them.

Papuashvili also rejected what he called false narratives surrounding “election fraud” and a supposed “crackdown on peaceful protests”, arguing that both claims had been disproven by subsequent developments.

“Violent crimes committed during the unrest were investigated, court verdicts were delivered, and the incidents were documented and recorded, with some offences also acknowledged by those responsible”, he said.

“Facts have once again prevailed over perceptions. Falsehood cannot become the truth simply because Brussels persistently repeats it, while a criminal cannot become a victim simply because an EU official wants it”, he added.

Papuashvili said a recent statement by an EU official had once again demonstrated that Brussels’ policy toward Georgia had reached an impasse.

He compared Brussels to “a soldier who has not learned that the war is over and is still planning military operations”.

“It is time for Brussels to leave the world of illusions. If EU officials want to normalise relations with Georgia, they should stop the aggressive rhetoric toward Georgia, abandon the information campaign supporting the defeated revolutionary scenario, and return to the elementary principles of diplomacy: respect for facts, Georgia’s sovereignty, and the democratic choice of the Georgian people”, Papuashvili concluded.