Georgian Parliament Speaker condemns use of EU funds to justify internal violence, calls for clear separation

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday leveled sharp criticisms against the European Union, accusing it of using taxpayer money to fund organisations that “justify domestic terrorism” and downplay attempts to overthrow the Georgian Government.

In his remarks, Papuashvili claimed that Brussels took a strategic pause following the events of October 4 - which the Government characterises as a coup attempt - only to return with an “aggressive campaign” executed through funded NGOs.

“They took a certain pause so that some time would pass following the October 4 attempt to overthrow the Government, allowing Brussels to catch its breath and then enter with such an aggressive campaign as it is doing now through an organisation it funds. They are trying to downplay the attempted coup, labeling it a ‘palace fence scenario’ and repeating, word for word, the narrative established by the partisan television station TV Pirveli”, the Speaker said.

“This is the reason why the organisation Transparency International, which interfered in the elections last year with European funding, tried to discredit the election results. In 2025, the European Commission funded Transparency International Georgia with one million GEL; it continues to spend EU money to this day, and the ultimate irony is that the formal pretext for this funding is to fight against disinformation and coordinated campaigns. With today's statement, they are using EU money for disinformation - to portray the violence of October 4 in a diminished form”, he continued.

The Parliament Speaker further added that on October 4, more than 30 police officers were injured, and 21 required hospitalisation.

“When these domestic terrorists are justified using EU money, it is a shame for the EU Embassy; it is a disgrace when the EU Embassy allows European funds to be used to justify domestic terrorism and violence against police officers. Today, EU money is being spent on justifying domestic terrorism, and this is a shame. If they do not want this disgrace to be a part of them, they need to clearly distance themselves from it”, Papuashvili concluded