Georgian Parliament Speaker questions EU Delegation’s credibility over contact with domestic terrorist

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papauashvili on Monday sharply criticised the European Union Delegation to Georgia, questioning its credibility and the transparency of its funding to local non-governmental organisations.

Papuashvili responded to the correspondence between the EU Delegation and Zviad Tsetskhladze, a convicted individual involved in the violent protests.

“When the EU Delegation has correspondence with a terrorist, of course, our trust in the EU Delegation and the funding coming from it is very low”, the Speaker said.

He reminded the public that the EU Delegation had been funding organisations that had already been exposed for buying equipment for violent groups to resist the police.

“We have seen that the EU Delegation financed organisations that have already been exposed for purchasing equipment used by violent protesters to resist the police. The acting head of ISFED admitted that, under the previous management, they bought such equipment and distributed it to rally participants. This means donor money - most likely EU funds - was used”, he continued.

“We also learned that the EU Delegation had correspondence with a terrorist. In the case of Zviad Tsetskhladze, the court has already confirmed that he was an organiser of violence - which, in international terminology, amounts to terrorism”, Papuashvili noted.

He further expressed regret that these incidents had undermined public confidence in EU-funded projects.

“Unfortunately, because of all this, we now view EU financing with suspicion. Step by step, it becomes clear that under the guise of supporting victims of torture, certain groups unite and use these funds to overthrow the government, resist the police, and encourage violence”, he concluded.