Georgian Majority MP Machavariani Says Foreign Backers of Opposition Parties Fear Losing Influence in Georgia

The foreign backers of opposition parties facing potential bans in Georgia are seeking to protect their influence in the country, Georgian parliamentary majority MP Levan Machavariani has said, accusing international critics of applying double standards.

Machavariani was responding to a statement by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Mykyta Poturaiev, who called on the Georgian authorities to ensure that political parties and civil society organisations are able to exercise their rights freely.

According to Machavariani, the legal mechanism for banning political parties exists in democratic countries, and similar measures have been implemented across Europe without attracting comparable criticism.

“This is a legal process guaranteed by the Constitution. Such a mechanism exists in every democratic country. Over recent decades, we have seen nearly 150 political parties banned in Europe alone, 22 in Ukraine, and eight in Moldova over the past three years,” Machavariani said.

He claimed that those measures had not faced significant objections because they were legally justified, arguing that Georgia was pursuing a comparable process.

“We are dealing with exactly the same situation in Georgia. However, in this case, the response is politically biased because these parties operate under foreign influence, and their backers do not want to lose their leverage in Georgia,” he said.

Machavariani further alleged that foreign actors were attempting to defend the opposition parties to preserve their political influence.

“They are therefore making every effort to protect these opposition forces. However, the statements being made from abroad are counterproductive for those making them,” he said.

“These statements are not based on any substantive arguments. Their sole objective is to ensure the survival of their political proxies in Georgia,” Machavariani added.