Opposition leader defends UK funding after Speaker's accusations against British Embassy

Petre Tsiskarishvili, Secretary General of the opposition party Unity – National Movement, has responded to recent accusations by the Speaker of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, regarding the British Embassy’s financial support for civil society and media in Georgia.

"Britain knows very well where and how to spend its money, its budgetary resources on a global scale," Tsiskarishvili said. "The civil sector and the media were funded in order to let some small democratic sprout blossom and flourish in Georgia."

His remarks came after Papuashvili publicly called on the British Embassy to disclose detailed information about its funding related to Georgia’s 2024 parliamentary elections and ongoing financial activities. The Speaker alleged that British funds may have been used to promote political propaganda and support "extremist politicians" aiming to interfere with local elections.