Georgian Parliament official: Georgia fighting octopus of harmful foreign interference

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Integration Committee, on Saturday described Georgia’s struggle against foreign influence as a battle with an “octopus” whose tentacles extend through covert funding and interference.

Speaking on Imedi TV’s program Open Air - Debates, Makhashvili portrayed foreign interference as a multi-tentacled threat actively undermining the country’s sovereignty.

“Today, Georgia is fighting the octopus of harmful foreign interference, which has its tentacles”, he said.

The official further noted that certain foreign-funded organisations and donors demand democratic norms while simultaneously resisting the very principles that sustain democracy, including transparency, accountability, and dialogue.

“It is somewhat ironic that, on the one hand, these [NGOs and donors] demand democracy, and on the other hand, they categorically oppose the fundamental characteristics of democracy: transparency, openness, accountability, and dialogue. Today, transparency is no longer just a component of democracy; it has become a matter of national security”, Makhashvili concluded.