Parliament Speaker: claims on Government’s covert relations with Russia “part of $1 million propaganda”

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said allegations from a part of the domestic opposition about the Government’s “covert relations” with Russia formed a part of a “$1 million propaganda” effort, following revelations of a United States-based law firm having received a sum close to the figure from the family of the imprisoned former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili for lobbying the US Government to help free the convicted former official.

Papuashvili’s comment followed the disclosure of the law firm Akerman with the US Justice Department, which on February 3 showed it had received $917,177 from Saakashvili’s family for the purpose.

In reference to allegations from some of the domestic opposition forces, the Parliament Speaker stressed “no facts” of violations of the international sanctions on Russia, placed on the country for its invasion of Ukraine, had been established in Georgia despite the countries sharing a border.

As for the so-called covert relations with Russia, this is also a part of the propaganda for which one million dollars have been paid, and they are trying to damage Georgia with this propaganda”, he said, adding “in this case, the media must be careful and mobilised to avoid such propaganda”.

Papuashvili stressed the Government was “oriented on the interests of the country” and the work “our public and citizens need”.

In the international arena, we are absolutely honestly and conscientiously part of the coalition that supports Ukraine and the Ukrainian people”, he pointed out, accusing unspecified “Georgian politicians and the media” of being involved in an effort “against their own homeland”.