Georgian Parliament Speaker: EU Ambassador’s letter shows how much political energy, money go into promoting false narratives

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday seized on the EU Ambassador’s letter that explicitly dates the suspension of Georgia’s accession process to 27 June 2024, calling it “self-exposure” by Brussels and proof that millions in EU funds have fuelled a two-year disinformation war against the Georgian Government.

Papuashvili’s remarks followed the publication of a letter from EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński to Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which proves that it was the EU - not Georgia - that suspended the accession process.

“Yes, this is yet another confirmation of how much political energy and money is being spent in Georgia to promote false narratives. One such false narrative was that the Georgian Government had supposedly stopped the process of integration with the European Union. This letter confirms - and in fact serves as self-exposure by Brussels - that the process was actually halted in June 2024 by Brussels itself, because the Georgian people demanded that Brussels disclose information about how its funds were being spent in Georgia”, he said.

The Speaker noted that, in reality, the process was halted by Brussels in June 2024, after the Georgian public demanded transparency about EU funds spent in Georgia.

“They could not forgive Georgians for daring to ask: if Brussels and the EU Delegation are spending money in our country, could you tell us what that money is being used for and what goals it serves? This once again demonstrates the value regression Brussels is undergoing. Our message is precisely this: disinformation, as a political weapon, must be rejected - and that would be the first step for Brussels to return to true European values”, he concluded.