Shalva Papuashvili on the statement by Metsola, Macron, and Tusk: A shameful attack on the Georgian people and the Georgian state

The Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, has described the joint statement by the “Weimar Triangle” as a “shameful attack on the Georgian people and the Georgian state” on their national holiday. The statement was released by the leaders of France, Poland, and Germany on the occasion of Georgia’s Independence Day.

“A shameful attack on the Georgian people and the Georgian state on its national holiday,” Papuashvili said in a post on the social network Facebook.

The “Weimar Triangle”—the leaders of France, Poland, and Germany—issued a joint statement on the occasion of Georgia’s Independence Day.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed their support for the Georgian people’s democratic and European aspirations and condemned the actions of the Georgian authorities that are causing democratic backsliding in the country.

“We support the Georgian people’s democratic and European aspirations. These aspirations reflect their desire to become part of the European family. We condemn all actions by the Georgian authorities that lead to democratic backsliding, as well as attacks against civil society, the media, and individuals critical of the government. Freedom of expression and assembly must be protected. Reports of excessive violence must be investigated. Laws that are contrary to European standards must be changed, and the process of necessary reforms must be resumed,” the statement reads.

The leaders of the three countries also state that the Georgian authorities must restore dialogue with the opposition and civil society and that the Georgian people must not be deprived of the opportunity to pursue the European path.