The Speaker of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, responded to the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and stated that the political groups protecting Saakashvili have long been using him as a weapon against the Georgian people.

As he wrote on social media, ever since Mikheil Saakashvili was recognized as a political prisoner and calls were made for his release, no decision or resolution has come as a surprise.

"Regarding the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, it is unfortunate that the political groups protecting Saakashvili have long been using him as a weapon against the Georgian people. Let me remind you that back in 2022, with the involvement of these groups, PACE passed a resolution declaring Saakashvili—a creator of a corrupt system involving torture and business racketeering—as a political prisoner and called for his release. Since then, of course, no decision or resolution comes as a surprise.

Also, let me remind you that in January of this year, after PACE adopted a resolution violating the sovereignty of the Georgian people, all members of the Georgian parliamentary delegation left the PACE. Currently, the Parliament of Georgia does not have a delegation in PACE. Therefore, naturally, the issue of recognizing the delegation's mandate cannot be discussed," Papuashvili writes.

Additionally, he disclosed the contents of a letter sent on February 5 to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Theodoros Rousopoulos.

"I am writing to inform you that members of the Georgian parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have submitted letters of resignation from the delegation. Accordingly, the delegation is not formed and cannot represent the Parliament of Georgia in the Assembly. I also wish to provide some clarifications regarding the cancellation of the delegation.

In its latest resolution dated January 29, 2025 (2585 (2025)), PACE outlined the conditions for recognizing the mandate of the Georgian delegation. By doing so, PACE violated the sovereign right of the Georgian people to elect their own government, since it set the holding of new elections in Georgia as a precondition for recognizing the delegation.

PACE's attempt to deny the choice of the Georgian people goes against not only Georgia’s sovereignty and the core values and principles of the Council of Europe itself, but also sets a precedent for how politically motivated decisions can disregard existing realities and thereby deepen political polarization.

Attempts by certain political groups to use PACE as a weapon for their particular interests create a dangerous precedent that can undermine the very values and principles of the Council of Europe. Such actions give biased political groups an opportunity for political retaliation, which contradicts fundamental democratic principles such as popular sovereignty and the Council of Europe's commitment to protecting human rights and freedoms.

It is self-evident that such decisions primarily violate the principle of inclusivity and harm PACE itself.

The last similar attempt by PACE to infringe upon Georgia's sovereignty was the 2463 (2022) resolution adopted on October 13, 2022, which declared former President Mikheil Saakashvili a 'political prisoner' and demanded his release from lawful and legitimate detention.

Despite the cancellation of the PACE delegation, Georgia remains committed to the core values and principles of the Council of Europe, which include respect for the will of the people, majority rule with protection of minority rights, and the rule of law," Papuashvili writes.

For reference, within its spring session, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will hold urgent debates regarding the situation in Georgia.