“Partners, not mentors” - Georgian Parliament Speaker calls for respect in talks on Georgia

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday rejected external discussions about Georgia’s affairs without the country’s direct involvement, emphasising the need for partnership rather than mentorship.

In his remarks, Papuashvili asserted that Georgia’s sovereignty and perspective must be respected in international dialogues.

“I recall the phrase often used, and if they say it about themselves, including the Ukrainians, it should apply to Georgia as well - no discussions about Georgia without Georgia! If someone wants to discuss our issues, they should consult us, involve us, and listen to our position”, the Speaker said.

The Speaker stressed that Georgia was neither an apprentice nor in need of mentors, drawing a historical parallel to the Soviet Union’s attempts to dominate the country.

“No one is our mentor, and we are not anyone’s apprentice for our issues to be discussed without us in a circle of mentors. We are looking for partners, not mentors. Many have tried to mentor us, and not long ago, it was the Soviet Union that mentored us, and we don’t want the Soviet Union or mentors. We need partners”, he noted.

Papuashvili criticised certain EU countries, particularly those with post-Soviet histories, for adopting a condescending attitude toward Georgia.

“We see that for some in the European Union, these concepts get confused, especially for countries with Soviet experience, which were themselves victims of this. Back then, the Soviet capital mentored them, and now they try to be mentors to the Georgian people and lecture us”, he said.

He further questioned why some EU nations feel entitled to lecture Georgia on democracy, rule of law, or anti-corruption efforts, pointing to Georgia’s strong performance in global rankings.

“I don’t know why any post-Soviet country thinks it should explain democracy, the rule of law, or the supremacy of law to Georgia. Or why any country thinks it has more to say about democracy, the rule of law, or fighting corruption than Georgia, when we look at all the rankings and see that we surpass these EU countries. And then the same EU country turns around and lectures us. The Georgian people, based on their historical memory, perceive this negatively”, Papuashvili concluded.