Georgian Parliament Speaker: foreign-funded organisations were ‘fighting on Russia’s side’ against Georgia

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday accused foreign-funded organisations of acting against Georgia in Russia’s interests, claiming that the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) had prepared complaints for Russia to file with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Papuashvili said that, despite Russia’s failure to fulfill its obligations, it was important for the Georgian authorities to regularly remind Moscow through legal channels of its outstanding obligations, including court judgments, which he said would be implemented sooner or later.

“The path we have chosen is to bring the cases lost under Saakashvili’s dictatorial regime back onto the international legal platform. In The Hague and Strasbourg, the cases were practically hopeless, given the way the National Movement was conducting the proceedings”, he said.

“Foreign-funded organisations were involved in actions against Georgia, including organisations that were fighting on Russia’s side against Georgia. For example, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association was preparing complaints for Russia to file with the Strasbourg Court”, Papuashvili continued.

He added that the Georgian Dream had “turned all of this around” and “won in every court”.

“Despite Russia’s failure to fulfill its obligations, it is now important to regularly remind Russia, through legal channels, that there are obligations to be fulfilled, including court judgments, and sooner or later these judgments will be implemented”, Papuashvili concluded.

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has adopted decisions concerning the interstate cases brought by Georgia against Russia.