Georgian Parliament Speaker: Baltic political elites “only our friends” if we sacrifice ourselves against Russia

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the Baltic political elites were only “our friends” as long as “we are willing to abandon self-preservation and blow ourselves up like a landmine to harm Russia and shield the Baltics from danger”.

Papuashvili’s remarks came after a recent move by Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna, who on Monday signed an order banning an additional 55 Georgian nationals from entering the country.

In his social media message, Papuashvili noted that the “chaotic attacks” on Georgian officials by the three former Soviet republics - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - “not only evokes a mix of amusement and bewilderment but also curiosity: what drives their excessive enthusiasm when it comes to Georgia?”

“The official position of the leadership of the post-Soviet Baltic states is that the sanctions are a response to Georgia’s democratic backsliding. Leaving aside how detached this claim is from reality - reality based on international rankings and solid data - if they truly cared about Georgian democracy, why did they so fervently support [imprisoned former President Mikheil] Saakashvili’s authoritarian regime, which trampled not only political freedoms but also all types of human rights?” the Speaker said.

“Why do they continue to shield him and seek to free him from lawful imprisonment? It seems that for the post-Soviet Baltic states, concern for democracy is not a genuine reason but merely a pretext - one they need to exert pressure on Georgian authorities. Or perhaps they disapprove of the Georgian government’s stance on NATO or the international security order? Could it be that they are dissatisfied with the role Georgia has played - and continues to play in international efforts for peace and stability?” he continued.

He also shared data on the participation of Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in international security and stability missions, in which Georgia was a leading force.

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“Let us look at the numbers - what Georgia has contributed and sacrificed over the past decade, compared to the Baltic states’ contributions to international security and stability missions. Here too, it is evident that when it comes to real action and tangible deeds, their efforts do not even come close to the contribution made by the Georgian people. The table below clearly shows that where there was a need to fight and defend international security, Georgia’s participation has been 20 times greater than theirs - despite the fact that they are NATO members, while we are not”, he noted.

“Or perhaps they reproach us for not officially sending volunteers to Ukraine, while they themselves provided assistance, implying that Georgia avoided direct involvement in a bloody war? That too seems unlikely, since, so far, no one has observed even a single officially deployed Baltic unit on the Ukrainian front. The real answer to this puzzle was hinted at by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in her speech at Munich Security Conference when she stated that it is not about Ukraine, but about Russia”, the Speaker continued.

Papuashvili further claimed that it was clear that the Baltic States perceived Russia as a real threat and were using every possible means to neutralize or, at least, mitigate that threat, in his opinion among these means, it seemed, Georgia was also considered as a tool against Russia.

“If we closely observe the behavior of the post-Soviet Baltic states, we can see that they fully supported and encouraged Saakashvili, who acted irresponsibly in relation to Russia, while at the same time attacking the Georgian Dream government, which is committed to peace and the protection of Georgia’s real interests. Ultimately, this hostility has even led them lately to the arbitrary imposition of sanctions”, the Speaker noted.

“It turns out that the root cause of everything is Russia. The Baltic political elites are only our friends as long as we are willing to abandon self-preservation and blow ourselves up like a landmine to harm Russia and shield the Baltics from danger. To achieve this goal, they are prepared to use every possible lever, including obstructing our European integration”, he continued.

Papuashvili also added that “if anyone in this world understands the essence of friendship, it is the Georgian people, true friendship is selfless.

“Unfortunately, however, self-serving friendships also exist. There is a special place in hell for those who sacrifice friends for saving their own skin”, he concluded.