Georgian Parliament Speaker: opposition leaders meeting foreign patrons, not voters ahead of upcoming local elections

Two weeks before the upcoming local elections, the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday commented on domestic opposition leaders’ trips abroad, stating that these visits involve meetings with foreign patrons and those giving them directives.

“With only a few days left until the elections, we see that one party leader is in Germany, another in Brussels, and a third and fourth in Washington, USA. We see whom they choose to meet — not the Georgian people, but their foreign patrons and those giving them instructions. In this regard, their trips should also be viewed accordingly”, the Speaker said.

Earlier, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze denounced domestic opposition representatives for traveling abroad instead of focusing on domestic matters ahead of local elections.

The Prime Minister argued that the opposition was disconnected from citizens and was relying on external backers.