Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili described the European Parliament session of December 17 as a “civilisational abyss,” according to Georgian media cited by Caliber.Az.
He added that both the citizens of the European Union and the Georgian people, who aspire to join the EU and are proud creators of European values, are disappointed with the current state of European institutions.
The remarks came in response to a heated plenary debate on Georgia’s democratic backsliding, the recent adoption of the controversial “foreign agents” law, and the suspension of EU accession talks. Several MEPs from liberal and green groups accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of authoritarian tendencies and of deliberately sabotaging the country’s European integration
Papuashvili’s statement echoes the position of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and other senior Georgian Dream officials, who have repeatedly described Western criticism as interference in Georgia’s internal affairs and an attempt to impose foreign agendas.
By Khagan Isayev
