The leader of Girchi, Iago Khvichia, responded to a Facebook post by the Georgian Parliament Speaker, Shalva Papuashvili, regarding foreign influence and the risk of dragging Georgia into war.

Khvichia recalled Papuashvili’s 2022 visit to Kyiv and Bucha, where a Georgian parliamentary delegation, including himself, participated.

“If visiting Kyiv and Bucha meant dragging the country into war, why did Shalva Papuashvili lead us there? I have this question,” Khvichia stated.

He also addressed Papuashvili’s remarks regarding the calls for Georgia to join sanctions against Russia, suggesting that these appeals were not attempts to drag the country into conflict.

“The issue of sanctions was public — the whole world was discussing whether to join or not. The idea that it was an attempt to involve us in war is far from the truth,” he explained.

While many politicians supported sanctions, Khvichia reaffirmed Girchi’s opposition, advocating for Georgia to avoid such measures.

In response to Papuashvili’s comments about volunteers, Khvichia stated, “The state should neither send nor hinder volunteers. What was asked of us was not to hinder.”

Papuashvili had earlier claimed that Georgia was “sacrificed to war” by foreign powers, NGOs, and the opposition three years ago.