Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday criticized the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution, which called for snap parliamentary elections in Georgia, describing it as “regrettable”.
His comments come after the Georgian delegation suspended its participation in PACE last week in protest of the resolution, which urged Georgian authorities to hold early elections in the coming months.
Papuashvili commended the efforts of the Georgian parliamentary delegation at PACE, emphasizing their role in defending the country’s democratic legitimacy.
“It is important to highlight that the attempt to challenge the credentials of the Georgian parliamentary delegation and thereby cast doubt on the parliamentary elections failed. This effort, supported by the opposition, certain NGOs, and some foreign political groups working in a coordinated manner against the Georgian people, was thwarted through the intensive work of our delegation,” he stated.
While the delegation’s mandate was upheld, Papuashvili underscored that the resolution’s specific reservations were “entirely unacceptable” and that Georgia could not operate under such conditions.
“It is crucial for the Parliamentary Assembly to return to its fundamental values—democracy and respect for the will of the people. If we do not honor each other’s sovereignty and the people’s electoral choices, discussing the principles of international cooperation on which the modern world is built becomes difficult,” he concluded.
On January 29, PACE adopted a resolution on Georgia, calling for snap parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners. The resolution passed with 114 votes in favor and 13 against. According to the committee’s conclusions, the Council of Europe will only recognize Georgia’s parliamentary delegation if early elections are scheduled by April and all political prisoners are released.
Following the decision, Georgian Vice Speaker Tea Tsulukiani announced that the country’s delegation would suspend its participation in PACE, calling the conditions for mandate recognition “unfair and groundless.”
