Parliament Speaker urges MEPs to “not only halt shameful campaign” backing Saakashvili, but also “repeal damage” inflicted on Georgia

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday urged MEPs involved in a “shameful campaign” to ensure the release of the currently imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, to not only “halt the shameful campaign”, but also “repeal the damage” inflicted on Georgia’s international image. 

 

The official’s  social media post came following the newest revelations on the American Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) website of the US Justice Department, which had revealed the extent of worldwide lobbying on ex-president Saakashvili’s behalf. 

 

The activities of the US firm Akerman, per its disclosure with the Justice Department, included drawing up a draft resolution for the European Parliament, preparation of articles about the health condition of Saakashvili and persuasion of US senators to impose  sanctions against Georgia over the former official’s alleged ill-treatment in custody. 

 

In his post, Papuashvili highlighted the recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg in May had rejected Saakashvili’s transfer abroad on health grounds. 

 

“So, the ECHR decision revealed that the campaign about Saakashvili’s ‘mistreatment’ was not just artificial but also entirely falsified. The new FARA file puts this whole affair into an even graver perspective. Not only was the campaign about Saakashvili’s supposed maltreatment based on falsehood and mystification, but the European Parliament resolutions, directed against the Georgian people were also the work of the lobbyists’ hands”, he said. 

 

He noted the EP President  Roberta Metsola had recently rightly pointed out that, after Qatargate, it was important to establish new rules that would obligate MEPs to declare their contacts with the lobbying groups. 

 

“With the disgraceful experience of the whole Saakashvili affair, I join her campaign for greater transparency and accountability in the European Parliament”, Papuashvili said.