Parliament Speaker calls on “everyone, including Europeans”, to “recognise choice” of Georgian citizens in upcoming elections

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said “everyone, including the Europeans, should recognise the choice” of Georgian citizens in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26, since “this is exactly what we call a European value”.

In his remarks over last week’s draft resolution of the European Parliament on the situation in the country, Papuashvili claimed the document was imbued with “false narratives and false spirits”.

The very fact that this [European Parliament] resolution has been initiated is part of the election campaign carried out for the opposition from outside. We observe that the opposition does not even work here [in Georgia], they cannot create [discussion] topics [ahead of the elections]. The only thing that happens every day is one or two statements [from abroad], which then become part of the election discussion in Georgia”, the Speaker said.

“There were over 90 statements in one month. About three or four statements were made per day regarding Georgia, which shows us that this is a planned election campaign and this resolution is a part of this election campaign. We saw who the initiators [of the resolution] are. These are the external patrons of the United National Movement party”, he claimed.

Papuashvili further alleged there was “preparation” on the part of the opposition “not for the election day, but for the period after the polls” in a push to reject its outcome.