Speaker Papuashvili calls for unconditional recognition of Georgia’s delegation to PACE

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has called for the unconditional recognition of Georgia’s parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), accusing the assembly of violating its own principles by linking the delegation’s credentials to new parliamentary elections.

Papuashvili made the remarks during a meeting with PACE President Petra Bayr in Rome, held on the sidelines of a conference of speakers of parliaments from Council of Europe member states.

According to the Georgian parliament, the talks focused on relations between the Georgian parliament and PACE. Georgia currently has no parliamentary delegation serving in the assembly.

Papuashvili said international organisations had increasingly been used to pursue political objectives in recent years, citing PACE’s treatment of Georgia’s parliamentary delegation as an example.

He also criticised a resolution adopted by PACE in January 2025, saying it constituted a serious violation of Georgia’s sovereignty.

Papuashvili claimed PACE made the continuation of the Georgian delegation’s credentials conditional on holding new parliamentary elections, thereby violating its own principles. He said unconditional recognition of the delegation’s credentials was the way to restore cooperation.

Papuashvili added that Georgia remained committed to the Council of Europe’s fundamental principles and values.

The Georgian parliamentary delegation at the conference also includes Nikoloz Samkharadze, chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, Levan Makhashvili, chair of the European Integration Committee, and Eka Sepashvili, deputy chair of the People’s Power parliamentary political group.