Georgian Parliament Speaker blasts EU Commission spokesperson for backing October 4 violence

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday accused a European Commission spokesperson of supporting individuals who committed crimes during the October 4 unrest, noting the detention of 62 suspects while criticising the spokesperson's evasion of responsibility and use of ethnic epithets against Georgians.

In a social media message, Papuashvili highlighted the role of European Commission-backed figures in the violent events of October 4, which he described as a near-miss for bloody chaos reminiscent of the 1990s.

“Individuals supported and encouraged by this European Commission spokesperson committed crimes on October 4. That day, our country narrowly escaped bloody chaos and a return to the 1990s”, he said.

He condemned the spokesperson for concealing accountability amid ongoing propaganda and derogatory language toward the Georgian people, framing it as emblematic of Brussels' flawed foreign policy.

“So far, 62 individuals have been detained and are awaiting punishment. Meanwhile, for two weeks, the spokesperson [Anitta Hipper] has been hiding her responsibility for the October 4 violence behind worn-out propaganda phrases and addressing Georgians with ethnic epithets. Reckless activism is the unfortunate face of Brussels’ current foreign policy”, Papuashvili concluded.