Georgia’s ruling party official says measures called “Russian” in Georgia branded “national” in the UK

Levan Machavariani, the first deputy chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Saturday addressed the British government’s expedited efforts to pass legislation aimed at curbing hostile activities and banning organisations that threaten national security, emphasising what he described as “double standards” in international reactions.

In his remarks, Machavariani noted that the situation reflects a “classic example of double standards”, stressing that measures criticised in Georgia are labeled differently when implemented by other countries.

“What is happening is a classic double standard. In our case, such measures are called ‘Russian’, while in their own country they are framed as national. Yes, we emphasise that this is a national decision in both our case and that of the United Kingdom”, he said.

Machavariani added that recent developments should dispel doubts among critics who questioned the legitimacy of similar legislation in Georgia. He pointed out that comparable laws have already been adopted in countries such as France and Canada, with the United Kingdom now following suit.

“If there are still people in our country who doubted that this was a Georgian law, I believe no one remains with such doubts now, because they can see that after us similar laws were adopted by France, Canada, and now it is the United Kingdom’s turn, all for the purpose of protecting their country’s security and sovereignty, just as in Georgia’s case”, Machavariani concluded.