Georgian Parliament Speaker: voice of national Parliaments must rise in era of uncertainty

Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said that in an era of uncertainty, the voice of national parliaments must not fade, but must rise.

In his address at the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Papuashvili noted that it was often said that the global order was weakening, and perhaps it was, but one foundation remained unshaken - national interest.

“We are not observers of history. We are its authors. It is in our chambers that the sovereign will of nations takes shape. It is through us that the people speak - clearly, legitimately, and decisively. And it is our duty to ensure that this voice is never diluted, never overshadowed, and never replaced”, he said.

“This is the only true compass of foreign policy. Not abstract doctrines. Not imposed ideologies. Not artificial systems of values detached from the will of the people. Any system that seeks to override national interest will ultimately collapse. Because what is not rooted in the people cannot endure”, Papuashvili noted.

He further emphasised that true international cooperation was not built on illusion.

“It is built on reality. And reality is simple: nations act in their interests. When those interests are expressed through democratic will, cooperation becomes stronger, peace more durable and order more stable”, he continued.

“Today, we face a defining challenge: foreign interference.In an age of information warfare and invisible influence, sovereignty is no longer defended only at borders, it is defended within our institutions and societies. Protecting the integrity of our political systems is no longer optional, it is essential”, the speaker noted.

“This is why nations are acting. This is why we see the emergence of legislative frameworks across the world: The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in the United States, the Democracy Shield in the European Union, the Foreign Interference Law in France, the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) in the United Kingdom, or the Foreign Influence Transparency Law in Georgia. Though they differ in name, we see the same principle taking legal form: democracy must be shaped by the people, not by foreign power”, he concluded.