Georgian Parliament Speaker criticises “Soviet mentality” in European Parliament over asset seizure ideas

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday sharply criticised certain members of the European Parliament, accusing them of embracing “deeply Soviet thinking” after MEP Michael Gahler suggested that the EU could consider measures against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Honorary Chair of of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Papuashvili labeled such thinking as deeply rooted in a “Soviet mentality” that he believes has gained a significant foothold within the European Union.

“When members of the European Parliament come up with ideas to confiscate property from groups or individuals who are politically unacceptable to them, it is nothing but deeply Soviet thinking, which has firmly taken root in the European Union”, the Speaker said.

“This is not the first time Michael Gahler has attacked the Georgian state. We are well aware of his other statements. The only reason I decided to respond this time is that, often, we hear appeals not to compare certain actions to the Soviet Union. Yet everyone should be reminded that confiscation and expropriation were characteristic of two ideologies - communism and fascism”, Papuashvili continued.

Papuashvili emphasised that such ideas of property confiscation were reminiscent of the practices of totalitarian regimes and warned of their reemergence within the EU.

“So, yes, when such ideas arise in the minds of MEPs that assets can be seized, confiscations and expropriations carried out against groups or individuals politically unacceptable to them, this is nothing other than a deeply Soviet way of thinking that has taken root in the European Union. This is partly due to the fact that we see several post-Soviet republics that are members of the European Union. The Soviet mentality of political elites in former Soviet republics, which seems to have spread like a virus, has infected some in the European Union and influences their statements”, he concluded.