Georgian Parliament Speaker: democratic peace shall be based on transparency, accountability, justice

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday warned that a lack of transparency around foreign funding in Georgia had enabled the infiltration of external interests into political parties and NGOs, fueling unrest and violence.

In his address at a panel discussion in Geneva on the sidelines of the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, Papuashvili noted that democratic peace shall be based on transparency, accountability and justice.

“In Georgia, we have seen the results of the lack of transparency about foreign funds that sought to implant foreign interests into political parties and the NGOs, promoting unrest and violence”, the Speaker said.

“Democratic peace is the one that lasts. It shall be based on transparency, accountability and justice. Peace rests not only on the absence of military conflicts but on respecting sovereignty of nations, their national interests, culture and traditions. Paradoxically, traditional values such as sovereignty, independence, and democracy are the greatest innovation these days”, he continued.

Papuashvili reaffirmed the Government's commitment to cooperating on all initiatives aimed at building a future where peace, sovereignty, and democracy are shared values and common goals.