MP Gorduladze: OSCE PA President was not concerned about banning 18 parties in Ukraine, but is outraged by similar process in Georgia

The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly showed no concern when supporting legislative amendments to ban 18 political parties in Ukraine or when calling for Mikheil Saakashvili’s release, but is now outraged by the process of abolishing National Movement agent parties in Georgia, Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee Archil Gorduladze said.

Gorduladze was commenting on a statement by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Mykyta Poturaiev, in which he called on the Georgian authorities to ensure that political parties and civil society can freely exercise their rights.

According to Gorduladze, what is considered democratic in Ukraine cannot be regarded as anti-democratic in Georgia.

“This person was not at all concerned when he supported legislative amendments in the Verkhovna Rada that banned 18 parties. A total of 22 parties have been banned in Ukraine. He was not outraged when he called for the release of Mikheil Saakashvili, but he is outraged by the process of abolishing the parties of the National Movement’s agents in Georgia.

If anyone believes this narrative, let them do so: apparently, Mikheil Saakashvili is a beacon of democracy, as he was portrayed to us between 2004 and 2012, and banning his parties represents democratic backsliding. What is democratic in Ukraine cannot possibly be anti-democratic in our country, regardless of which foreign official attempts to make such statements or exert pressure on the judiciary,” Gorduladze said.