Georgian Parliament speaker accuses EU-funded NGOs of spreading hate, disinformation

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has sharply criticized the European Union’s diplomatic mission in Georgia, accusing it of failing to condemn what he describes as disinformation, hatred, and support for extremism by EU-funded non-governmental organizations.

The remarks were published on Papuashvili’s official Facebook page and widely reported by Georgian media, Caliber.Az reports.

In his post, Papuashvili referenced a statement made by Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), an NGO that recently labelled Georgia’s parliament as "illegitimate." In response, the Speaker emphasized that such a characterization, directed at an institution elected by the people, constitutes both a rejection of democratic values and an intentional dissemination of misinformation.

“Calling the parliament elected by the people ‘illegitimate’ means denial of democratic institutions along with spreading misinformation,” Papuashvili wrote.

“The purpose of non-recognition of democracy is to create an ideological base and imaginary legitimisation for extremism.”

The Speaker went on to question the EU’s ongoing financial support of such organizations, warning of broader implications for both governance and public trust.

“The embassy must decide whether it is going to respond to the fact that EU citizens' money is being spent to support extremism,” Papuashvili stated. "It is deeply concerning that the EU Embassy has, to date, failed to issue a single condemnation of the violence, incitement, and disinformation propagated by the very organizations it financially supports."

He specifically named the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (AYLG) and the Centre for Social Justice as among the principal recipients of EU funding in the country.

Papuashvili was careful to frame his remarks as part of a legitimate democratic discourse rather than a political attack. “In order to exclude speculations, I want to clarify: this is not a ‘bad talk’ or ‘attacks,’ but a legitimate criticism that should be answered,” he concluded.

By Vafa Guliyeva