Georgian Parliament Speaker criticises EPP for supporting opposition’s “peaceful overthrow”

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday commented on the opposition’s announced plan for a so-called “peaceful overthrow”, accusing the European People’s Party (EPP) of backing extremist groups in Georgia.

In his remarks, Papuashvili noted that instead of condemning violence, the EPP openly expressed support for the United National Movement and its leader Levan Khabeishvili.

“This group is already openly declaring itself as an extremist organisation whose goal is to seize power through violence. That is why I said I will closely monitor the attitude toward this group, including from foreigners”, the Speaker said.

“To this day, the United National Movement remains a member of the European People’s Party. They even issued a statement in support of Khabeishvili. This is an absolute scandal. What kind of Europe are we talking about when the EPP, which unites ruling parties of several countries, supports extremism and domestic terrorism? Their declared goal is to change the government through violence, and the EPP demonstrates support for this. Whoever supports extremism will reap terrorism - and will reap it in their own country”, Papuashvili continued.

He concluded by emphasising that in the end, every person or state would feel on their own skin the consequences they caused elsewhere.

“When representatives of European governments, under the umbrella of the EPP, support overthrow, extremism, and such terminology, they will ultimately face the same outcome at home. If they unleash this ‘genie’ abroad, they will inevitably encounter it in their own countries”, Papuashvili said.