Georgian speaker: Opposition harmed by praise from Western diplomats

Speaker of Parliament in Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, has claimed that public support for the country’s opposition declines when it receives praise from Western diplomats.

Papuashvili argued that endorsements from foreign ambassadors— such as Pavel Gerchinsky —tend to alienate Georgian voters. He suggested that the country has moved beyond external influence and would not accept a return to what he described as a subordinate or dependent status, Caliber.Az reports per Georgian media. 

Papuashvili also alleged that opposition groups conduct formal meetings primarily to demonstrate activity to foreign backers, rather than to address domestic concerns. He added that the opposition is increasingly disconnected from the realities facing the Georgian public.

By Sabina Mammadli