Georgian Parliament Speaker: “Pro-European violence” term emerges, heartbreaking to witness

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday sharply criticized European Union Ambassador Paweł Herczyński's recent call for the release of “unjustly detained” individuals, arguing that the Ambassador's remarks were implicitly condoning violent acts.

In a social media message, Papuashvili expressed deep concern over what he described as the normalisation and justification of violent acts under the guise of “pro-European” protest.

“Yesterday, EU Ambassador Pawel Herczyński demanded the release of those unjustly detained. One thing must be clear. When Pawel Herczyński says that someone who threw a Molotov cocktail, aimed fireworks, or attacked a police officer is unjustly detained, he is not saying that a Molotov cocktail wasn’t thrown or that a police officer wasn’t attacked. He calls the detention unjust because he justifies this violence - yes, a Molotov cocktail was meant to be thrown, and it was thrown; yes, the fists were meant to attack, and they did it; yes, the fireworks were meant to be fired, and it would have been better if they were aimed more accurately - that seems to be his message”, the Speaker said.

“This is why you won’t find a single statement from him - not a single one - where he condemns this street violence. Yet, it seems, nothing prevents him from saying that attempting to burn someone alive is, in his own words, disgusting. But no, not even a single twisted word. Nor will there be after this post”, he continued.

Papuashvili further accused Brussels of glorifying violence in past instances, such as the controversial “I threw” campaign, and noted that European officials came dangerously close to elevating individuals accused of serious crimes to the status of heroes.

“Disrespect for human rights and the inversion of values in the rhetoric of foreign politicians or diplomats have become a sad daily reality. This disrespect for human rights has led to a perpetrator, not a victim, becoming the measure of violation. Say you are pro-European, and then a Molotov cocktail or fists become legitimate weapons of struggle. Say your goal is noble, and all your means are justified (how can one not recall the Soviet Union here). This is what we are dealing with. If you commit violence in the name of the European Union, then your violence is pro-European, meaning just, while your punishment is unjust. This was already said when Brussels funded the “I threw” campaign, and in broad daylight, with European parliamentarians and diplomats, they nearly declared a violent individual who tried to burn someone alive with a Molotov cocktail a national hero. Have you ever seen the EU Ambassador express regret over this? No. Meanwhile, the term pro-European violence has already emerged amongst the people, and witnessing this situation is truly heartbreaking”, he noted.

The Speaker concluded his post with a clarification that his remarks were not intended as a personal attack on the ambassador, but as legitimate political criticism that requires self-reflection and an official response.

“And here’s the standard note to prevent anticipated victimisation. No, this is not an attack on the ambassador; this is legitimate criticism that requires self-reflection and a response”, Papuashvili said.