Parliament Speaker highlights “major lies” of “vicious” campaign against Georgia’s democratic image
The Parliament Speaker stressed the domestic authorities had won the “unequal battle” against the allegations, in which he said the Government was equipped "only with bare truth”. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday highlighted “two major lies” of an alleged “vicious” campaign against Georgia’s democratic image over the past year and a half, in a social media message that noted the controversy over the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s alleged torture in detention and the alleged evasion of sanctions imposed on Russia through the territory of Georgia.
Papuashvili said the first allegation had been "obliterated" by the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in May, which denied his request for transfer abroad on medical grounds. The Parliament official said the ruling had "confirmed the protection of Saakashvili’s rights by the Georgian authorities, including the enjoyment of full medical services".
In the last year and a half, the vicious campaign against Georgia’s democratic image rested on two major lies: First, former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s alleged torture in detention; and, second, alleged evasion of sanctions imposed on Russia by the Western community.
— Shalva Papuashvili ???????? (@shpapuashvili) July 4, 2023
Both… pic.twitter.com/Cibf0Js1qU
He said the latter accusations had been rejected by the conclusions of sanctions envoys of the European Union, United Kingdom and the United States, who he said had confirmed Georgia was ensuring prevention of evasion of the sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
"Georgia’s system against sanctions evasion deserves high praise, and there has been not a single fact of circumvention of the sanctions”, Papuashvili said.
The Parliament Speaker stressed the domestic authorities had won the “unequal battle” against the allegations, in which he said the Government was equipped "only with bare truth”.
The opponents, on the other hand, had millions of dollars, which have now been wasted [in attempts] to damage Georgia’s democratic achievements and create a smog of lies, misperceptions, and disinformation. Also, these actors, both domestic and foreign, submerged in political corruption, used Russian hybrid tactics against Georgia”, the country’s chief legislator continued.
Papuashvili also alleged "final desperate attempts of these forces to reverse the situation", which he said would not happen as the "bubble of lies has already burst, including beyond Georgia’s borders”.