Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker names suppression of healthy debate as “the most important” factor contributing to polarisation

Nino Tsilosani, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday named suppression of healthy debate and discussion between opposing sides as one of the most important factors contributing to polarisation and establishment of a radical political agenda as well as the division of the Georgian public, and the artificial creation of confrontation.

In her remarks, Tsilosani noted that the existence of debates was detrimental to the domestic opposition, so their patrons had decided to deprive the public of the opportunity to hear different positions in a healthy format.

“Regarding the said issue, a few days ago, the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made an extensive statement, where he explained in detail who was the author and executor of this initiative, and what the plan aimed to achieve, the implementation of which was only partially achieved by specific subjects subordinate to foreign forces”, Tsilosani said.

“The establishment of insults and lies as media standards, the suppression of dissent, the elimination of space for discussion and the exposure of pseudo-liberal ideology served the sole purpose - when listening to debates, people have the opportunity to easily distinguish between lies and truth, which is disastrous for the radical opposition performing external tasks, therefore, their patrons decided to deprive the public of the opportunity to listen to different positions in the format of healthy debates and make informed decisions. This must be corrected, because the Georgian people must have the opportunity to make any choice in the future as a result of the assessment and analysis of different positions”, she concluded.