Georgian Parliament official says “shameful” if European bureaucrats demand repeal of transparency law after USAID scandal

Davit Matikashvili, the Chair of the Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said if the only issue to be discussed at the technical meeting with the European Commission scheduled for June 11 was the suspension of visa liberalisation, then it was likely that one of the demands would be the repeal of the law of transparency, which would be shameful.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Matikashvili noted that if visa liberalisation was introduced solely by the European Commission, then perhaps the ways and mechanisms for correction should also be shown by them.

“In general, in a global context, what is being demanded from us in terms of Euroliberalization is an obvious matter. At the contractual level, as a result of the struggle of the Georgian people, the Georgian Dream [party] has gained this benefit for our public. In the criteria that existed until now, such adjustments have been made that are clearly visible that it should be a tool for pedaling freedom-loving nations who do not want to implement the narrative that will primarily be intended for the destruction of these peoples and nations”, Matikashvili said.

“What do the Eurocrats demand from us?! They want to repeal the law of transparency. Isn't it shameful after the USAID scandal? The whole world saw that treacherous face, how black money was entering various countries through non-governmental organisations and was used for political issues there. The conversation on this issue must be put to an end once and for all. The public knows very well that it was precisely from European funds that those campaigns in Georgia were financed, which romanticised the Molotov cocktails, and numerous terrible anti-state and illegal actions were taking place before our eyes. The use of this issue as a blackmail mechanism, that if you want to maintain visa liberalisation, repeal the law of transparency, is shameful”, he concluded.