Georgian Parliament Speaker accuses European bodies of promoting violence in country

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday sharply criticised European diplomats for failing to condemn the violent storming of the President’s Palace on October 4, saying that 19 days have passed without a single word of condemnation.

“It would be simple to just say, ‘We condemn the violent storming of the President’s Palace on October 4’. What is preventing them from doing that? Was there no violence, or did they simply not see it? The reason they are not doing it is the answer itself - this shows exactly what we are dealing with”, the Speaker said.

He further stressed that the reason European diplomats have not condemned the attack is that they, in fact, support and encourage it.

“This is the unfortunate conclusion that the Georgian people are drawing. The reality we face is that violence in Georgia today is being encouraged by certain European structures”, he continued..

Papuashvili also criticised an incident involving correspondence between the EU mission to Georgia and Zviad Tsetskhladze, a convicted individual involved in the violent protests.

“When the European Union Embassy writes letters to a convicted terrorist, I don’t know if this violates the Vienna Convention or if it’s simply a matter of humanity that should prevent such correspondence. Yesterday, we heard a completely shameful explanation that this is supposedly normal diplomatic practice - sitting in the embassy and responding to Georgian citizens on current issues. Do they think we Georgians are fools? Corresponding with a terrorist is not routine diplomatic work. This is not only a scandal - it’s the substance of the letter that matters. They claim it’s not support, but the letter is asking for the release of a person convicted for violence at protests. Who are they trying to fool?” the Speaker said.

He claimed that this behavior had fueled violence, extremism, and now terrorism in Georgia, which occurred on October 4 with the attack on the presidential palace.

He further reminded the public that the Molotov Cocktail campaign was funded by the European Union and they had not apologised to any institution for funding this campaign in the country.