Georgian Parliament Speaker: hostile rhetoric won’t make Brussels shape Georgian people’s decisions

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili sharply criticised the European Union, warning against adopting policies that would treat Georgia differently from other countries.

Commenting in response to a journalist’s question about the possibility of personal sanctions against high-ranking officials of the ruling Georgian Dream party - specifically, restrictions on visa-free travel - Papuashvili said that such measures would reflect a form of segregation.

“Considering the hostile rhetoric that some in Brussels hold, and the support we saw from the European Commission spokesperson regarding the organisation of the attempted coup - for which no apology has been made - and the fact that the violent storming of the President’s Palace has still not been condemned, of course, it is difficult to expect any positive decisions or opinions toward the Georgian people in Brussels”, the Speaker said.

“Ultimately, everyone needs to look in the mirror and see how they repeat the same approach toward the Georgian people that other countries have faced; visa-free travel has been suspended for us, sanctions have been imposed, and the Georgian people have experienced all of this. Why did they do this? To exert political influence over the will of the Georgian people. Did this have any harmful effect on the will of the Georgian people? Did the Georgian people ever betray their national interests? No”, Papuashvili continued.

He further added that history should have at least served as a lesson for them that, with such hostile rhetoric, hostile steps, and anti-democratic visions, they could not impose their views on the Georgian people

“This is called segregation, when you divide a society into classes and have two classes of society. Throughout world history, segregation existed, and no government that practiced segregation has ever been a government that respected human dignity. So it would be even worse if Brussels intends to make segregation its policy toward Georgia”, Papuashvili concluded