Georgian Dream MP slams EU ‘double standards’ on transparency, family laws

Irakli Zarkua, chairman of the parliamentary committee on diaspora issues, has criticised the European Union for what he described as “double standards” regarding legislation on transparency and family values.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Zarkua said that Georgia, a country neither under NATO protection nor an EU member, was previously criticised for passing its own transparency laws, with some even labelling them “Russian-style” legislation. He contrasted this with recent EU moves to “strengthen similar transparency laws domestically.”

“If we are to believe the German ambassador, Fischer, we cannot advance in European integration because of the laws we passed - the transparency law and the family values law, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman and bans public promotion of gender change or LGBT propaganda in schools and kindergartens,” Zarkua said.

He added that Georgia would continue to adopt laws in line with its national interests, and suggested that the EU would eventually follow suit, strengthening its own legislation rather than imposing double standards.

“This is shameful behaviour by European bureaucrats. But this is temporary - the EU will evolve, with democratically elected, healthy governments rather than foreign-appointed officials,” he said, emphasising his confidence in Europe upholding its stated values.