Parliament Speaker: "This election will be test of who respects Georgia's sovereignty and who just respects Khinkali"

Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili stated that the upcoming local elections in Georgia will serve as a test to see who truly respects the sovereignty of the Georgian people, and who merely shows symbolic interest — referencing the traditional Georgian dish Khinkali.

In a post on social media, Papuashvili commented on President Salome Zourabichvili's official announcement of local self-government elections, noting that pre-election regulations are now in effect.

"From today, the regulations governing the pre-election campaign come into force. These rules apply to everyone present in Georgia, including diplomats. According to Article 41 of the Vienna Convention, diplomats are obliged to respect the laws of the host country and must not interfere in its internal affairs," he wrote.

Papuashvili expressed concern about foreign interference in previous elections:
"Unfortunately, during the last parliamentary elections, we witnessed extensive involvement of foreign politicians and diplomats in the pre-election campaign through both - public statements and financial support. This constituted a blatant violation of both the Vienna Convention and Georgian law. It must not be repeated."

He urged foreign diplomats accredited in Georgia to refrain from any actions that could influence the electoral process and to fully respect the legal framework of the country.

"This election will be a test — a test to see who truly respects the sovereignty of the Georgian people, and who is only here for the Khinkali. We will be closely monitoring this matter," Papuashvili concluded.