"We are facing a paradox where today, violence walks the streets wrapped in the European Union flag – polarization was imposed on us from abroad, through their 'CANVAS' or 'USAID'-style propaganda, hate speech, and the legitimization of violence, which are now almost entirely identified with the European Union. In this tragic reality, some politicians and diplomats from EU countries bear direct responsibility."
This statement was made by the Speaker of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, during his annual address from the parliamentary tribune.
According to Papuashvili, with donors avoiding accountability for the outcomes of their funding, the only path left was legislative regulation.
He stated that, in spring 2023, Parliament began a legislative process aimed at disclosing the shadow financing of Georgian politics.
Papuaashvili said the “Transparency Law” and the events surrounding it acted as a litmus test:
“No state should be allowed to influence the life of another society by spending millions of dollars while concealing what they are spending on and why. This kind of patronizing attitude — thinking in terms of 'Third World' and 'Banana Republics' — belongs to the 20th century.”
He added that in 2023, the torch of revolutionary movements was taken up directly by foreign politicians and donors:
“That’s why one ambassador was the first to call Georgia’s transparency law ‘Russian.’ That’s why someone who tried to burn another person with a Molotov cocktail was called a hero. That’s why throwing rocks was labeled ‘peace,’ and arresting the rock-thrower was called ‘war.’ Just as Molotov cocktails are foreign and unacceptable to our society, so is handing over our country's future to foreign curators. We slowed down the process, and that’s why this attempt at revolution failed.”
He said that all internal and external actors who tried to influence the 2023 elections were revealed and exposed.
Papuaashvili continued, saying the 2024 election campaign unfolded under unprecedented foreign interference:
“We were told this would be the final battle — everyone against one. A referendum. The ‘collective United National Movement,’ big and small NGOs, activist journalists, destructive partisan media, trained demonstrators, foreign donors and diplomats — all appeared on the battlefield of this so-called referendum, led by a fading and outgoing president. A one-legged, foreign interest-driven agenda, wrapped in paper called ‘European perspective,’ was pitted against a true, Georgian, national-interest-driven agenda of peace and prosperity embodied by ‘Georgian Dream.’
Fortunately, the Georgian nation, with its historical memory and deep civilizational awareness, saw the truth and chose correctly. Strength is in unity; good unites, evil divides. Georgia has historically been defeated through fragmentation and division. This time again, polarization was imposed on us by foreign forces — their CANVAS- and USAID-style propaganda, hate, and legitimized violence are now almost entirely associated with the European Union. And in this tragic reality, some EU politicians and diplomats bear direct responsibility. We ended up in a paradox where violence walks the streets wrapped in the EU flag.”
He concluded:
“In such a situation, the formula for victory is unity, resilience, and faith — in your country, your people, your history. And we won this decisive battle. The 10th convocation of Parliament became a turning point, where we made national interest the cornerstone of the country’s development, and wisdom the principle of political decision-making. And wisdom means seeing the road ahead before the cart overturns. That’s what we accomplished — we didn’t overturn the cart, nor did we turn the country’s wheel backward. This mission has now been passed on to the 11th convocation of Parliament. We are continuing our work and serving the country’s interests. National unity and the well-being of every citizen are our two main objectives — all other goals, plans, and ambitions will be measured against these two. May God be our protector in this task.”
