Georgian Parliament Speaker praises Hungarian PM’s visit following elections

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday claimed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ongoing visit to the country following parliamentary elections on Saturday represented not only his support for the ruling Georgian Dream party but also his “backing of the country’s citizens amid attempts” by the domestic opposition to “deprive the majority [of the population] of their choice”.

Papuashvili’s comments came in response to a question regarding Orbán's apparent shift in stance since his support for former President Mikheil Saakashvili in 2012, and his past comments where he had urged the country’s citizens “not to return to the past”.

The Parliament Speaker noted “we can already see his position. We observe his activity in both the European Union and in our own state. We see and appreciate his support”.

The chief Georgian legislator also alleged “we are once again witnessing a series of claims of falsifications aimed at undermining the choice of the majority of the population” of Georgia.