Georgian Parliament Speaker urges EU to condemn attack on Presidential Palace

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday issued a sharp rebuke to European Commissioners, stating that Tuesday, November 4, marks one month since a "failed coup attempt" and the "storming of the Presidential Palace by people supported from abroad" on October 4.

In his remarks, Papuashvili emphasiსed that it has also been a month since European Commissioners have refused to condemn the attack on the Presidential Palace.

“The Georgian people have only one expectation: that tomorrow, the [European] Commissioner [for Enlargement] [Marta] Kos will condemn the violent storming of the Presidential Palace, which resulted in the injury of 25 police officers, two of whom were seriously wounded. To this day, even the EU ambassador has not inquired about their wellbeing or health. The expectation of the Georgian people is that, before making any statements about Georgia, the first and foremost action should be to denounce and distance themselves from this violent attack on the presidential palace”, the Speaker said.

The Speaker further claimed that organisations funded from Brussels were involved in the October 4 events.

“The events of October 4 involved organisations funded from Brussels. Let me also remind you that on October 4, while the President’s Palace was being stormed, various representatives from Brussels encouraged and supported this violence on social media”, he continued.

Papuashvili further emphasised that Georgia had narrowly escaped chaos, and no one knew what the outcome would have been if not for the timely response of the security system, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and others.

“This is part of the hostile rhetoric we have also seen in the EuroNest. It is a regrettable political approach against the Georgian people, where the will of the Georgian people is ignored, and a political agenda is imposed on us. Taking all of this into account, the expectation for a fair approach is unfortunately diminishing”, the Parliament Speaker said.

He also explained that failing to condemn the violence equates to supporting the perpetrators.

On October 4, large-scale protests in Tbilisi escalated into a dramatic confrontation, as a group of radical demonstrators tried to storm the presidential palace. The unrest occurred on the same day Georgia held municipal elections.

Authorities detained five opposition figures, including Paata Burchuladze. They are now facing charges of plotting to overthrow the government - a potential offense that could carry lengthy prison sentences.

Government officials described the events as a failed coup attempt orchestrated with foreign backing. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the protests “an attempted overthrow of the constitutional order”.