Parliament Speaker claims connecting National Library with politics “dishonest” after alleged calls to chair to resign

Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday dismissed attempts to connect National Parliamentary Library with politics as “dishonest” after claims by Giorgi Kekelidze, a longstanding chair of the institution the previous day, that the official had urged him to resign after 11 years in office. 

In his reaction, Papuashvili acknowledged the National Library’s rich history, spanning almost two centuries, and lauded the collective efforts of the team for their “significant contributions” over the years. “The National Library is larger than any individual; it is our shared heritage and future,” he said, stressing the institution’s primary focus was on serving the cultural heritage and education needs of the Georgian people.

Over the change in leadership, Papuashvili referred to it as a personnel decision crucial for the National Library’s ongoing development and extended his best wishes to Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, whose official appointment is expected in the coming days.

Papuashvili highlighted the importance of keeping the National Library free from political influence, stating, “the National Library has nothing to do with politics, nor should it. Personnel decisions are made based on the organization’s future goals”, before expressing confidence in Gamsakhurdia’s ability to “contribute significantly” to the library’s continued growth.

In his social media post, Kekelidze referred to the decision as “unfair”.