‘Externally influenced’ opposition will participate in municipal elections – Georgian Parliament Speaker

Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Monday claimed all political groups, including the domestic “foreign influenced” opposition, would take part in the upcoming self-government elections scheduled for October, despite their current pledges on non-engagement.

Speaking to reporters, Papuashvili accused the opposition of being influenced by external forces.

“The puppet opposition is being managed completely from the outside. We have observed in recent days that they have toured several capitals, received instructions. Some have already returned, others are still there,” he said.

The Parliamentary Speaker further claimed that opposition figures were acting on foreign directives, citing opposition leader Zurab Japaridze’s recent statements that “announced” alleged sanctions on Georgian officials.

“We are already seeing their statements on how to undermine the Georgian economy, how to organize terror, and so on. These are ordinary instructions and their implementation”, Papuashvili added.

Despite his criticism, Papuashvili insisted that the opposition would ultimately participate in the elections, saying “October will come, and we will all see that everyone will participate in the vote scheduled by the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili. They will participate according to the legislation adopted by the Parliament of Georgia, with the composition of the Central Election Commission elected by the Parliament”.