Georgian ruling party MP urges OSCE to ‘reject double standards', ‘respect sovereignty’

Maia Bitadze, Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee and a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has urged members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to respect Georgia’s sovereignty and refrain from what she described as “politicised assessments and foreign interference,” warning that such actions “undermine peace and democracy” across the OSCE region.

“It is an honour to speak on behalf of Georgia – a country with the highest economic growth in Europe, even as its 20% remains under Russian occupation,” Bitadze told delegates in her speech at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

As tensions continue to reshape the geopolitical landscape from Ukraine to the Middle East, Bitadze presented Georgia as a case of “peace preserved under pressure.”

“We are not free from threats,” she added, “but we have chosen stability over chaos, institutions over populism, and long-term vision over short-term provocation.”

Bitadze warned that “preserving peace is vital not only for Georgia, but for the entire Black Sea region,” adding that the OSCE “plays an essential role” in maintaining that peace. “This is why the OSCE matters,” she said, “and undermining its role - through politicized observation or selective criticism - is not just unfair to Georgia. It challenges the very principles of the Helsinki Final Act and collective security.”

In a pointed reference to recent calls for new elections in Georgia, Bitadze argued that such demands “despite a largely positive assessment by the OSCE observation mission - undermine the credibility of OSCE itself.” 

She added, “such statements echo the rhetoric of radical opposition forces rejected by the Georgian people and risk politicizing the OSCE’s vital role. We urge you to respect the OSCE mission’s findings and refrain from damaging public trust in international institutions.”

The MP also criticised what she described as “double standards” in how some Western countries judge Georgia’s domestic policies. “What is called a crime in France or the US cannot be rebranded as political persecution in Georgia. That’s not just double standards - it’s pure cynicism. It undermines international law and weakens public trust in global partnerships.”

Bitadze concluded by warning that “disinformation and external manipulation, interference in Georgia’s domestic affairs - including in our democratic choices - does not support peace or democracy in the OSCE region. It threatens both.”

“We ask for respect for our sovereignty, peace, and international law,” she said.