Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker: only “arbitrary” activity in Georgia was EU funding financing unrest

Nino Tsilosani, Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said on Wednesday that the only “arbitrary” activity in Georgia had been funding provided through certain EU funds, which she claimed had been flowing into the country and financing unrest that ultimately led to arrests the EU is now seeking to defend.

Tsilosani was responding to a statement by the EU ambassador to the United Nations, who condemned what he described as arbitrary detentions and growing repression in Georgia.

According to Tsilosani, such statements were aimed at encouraging individuals who remain under the influence of external forces.

“Against the backdrop of many participants in the violent protests realizing that they had taken part in a completely absurd process, seeking pardons and being released, statements from abroad are, of course, once again needed to encourage all those who, from their perspective, remain firmly under the influence of external forces that are keeping them in prison”, she said.

Tsilosani said the fact that the EU ambassador to the UN had taken the time to spread what she described as disinformation about Georgia pointed to “a certain degradation” of EU institutions.

“Especially when he is speaking about something that has been demonstrably proven to be a lie, it becomes clear that certain bureaucrats have an interest in somehow justifying their arbitrary funding in Georgia and justifying the continued imprisonment of people who were jailed as a result of this aggressive funding”, she concluded.