Parliament Speaker claims “farce” of opposition, “millionaire” NGOs, their “foreign patrons” over election outcome

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday claimed the domestic opposition, a “few millionaire” non-governmental organisations and their “foreign patrons” had “staged a farce”, in comments over the opposition’s plans to protest the outcome of the parliamentary elections held last Saturday.

In his remarks over the matter, Papuashvili noted a saying of “history repeats itself - first as tragedy and then as farce”.

The history of the so-called rigged elections has repeated itself. Exactly four years ago, a historic meeting of the opposition took place in the studio of [the opposition-leaning] Mtavari Arkhi TV [following the 2020 parliamentary elections], where they signed a pledge not to enter the Parliament under any circumstances, [but] then they broke [their pledge] and entered [the legislative body]”, the Speaker said.

“Now this is repeated as a farce. The same actors, the same stage director, but they think that the audience is the same, although everyone already knows this farce, and these people themselves are watching it”, he noted.

Tina Bokuchava, the Chair of the Unity - National Movement platform, on Friday told local media “no opposition parties” would enter the Georgian Parliament following “totally rigged elections”.