"It is a fundamental principle of international law not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. What is the world accusing Russia of today? It criticizes the violation of the rules-based international order, which prohibits one country from breaking the rules in relation to another. How can you criticize Russia for violating these rules, and what moral high ground do you have, when you yourself violate these rules by interfering in the elections of another country?" said Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament, accusing the West of interfering in Georgia’s parliamentary elections.
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In an interview with the government TV company Imedi, Papuashvili responded to the statement by the EU ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, who said that the government's actions have halted Georgia's European integration process.
"The tone of statements from foreign actors, the growing nervousness within, and the increasing agitation of some Georgian foreign actors reveal just how dire the opposition's situation is. In fact, we are witnessing an election with unprecedented foreign interference, which should be unacceptable for any country that respects European values.
Just a few days ago, there were elections in Moldova, and we saw foreign countries expressing concerns about interference there - specifically by Russia. If they criticize Russia's behavior in Moldova, yet we see the same actions from Western politicians in Georgia, what is this if not hypocrisy? This hypocrisy is the most disappointing thing we have been observing lately," Papuashvili said.
He also commented on Pawel Herczynski’s call for Georgian citizens to participate in the elections and vote for their and their children's future, quoting the Georgian poet Besik Kharanauli: It is nobody else's, Georgia is yours!
According to Shalva Papuashvili, he would like to see the EU ambassador "focus more on monitoring how EU-funded non-governmental organizations interfere in politics."
"We saw the October 20 gathering, which was a typical pre-election campaign rally organized in collaboration with the radical opposition by non-governmental organizations, most likely funded with foreign money. Isn't this interference, including the financing of election campaigns with foreign funds? Instead of addressing this issue, we see the EU ambassador becoming fascinated with Georgian poetry and quoting it," said the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia.
