MP Machavariani: Foreign satements in defense of opposition parties are counterproductive

“Approximately 150 political parties have been banned in Europe over recent decades, and no one raised objections. In Georgia’s case, the interest is biased: the sponsors of these agent-linked parties do not want to lose their leverage in the country,” Levan Machavariani, a member of the parliamentary majority, said.

Machavariani was responding to a statement by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Mykyta Poturaiev, who called on the Georgian authorities to ensure that political parties and civil society can freely exercise their rights.

According to Machavariani, comments made from abroad are counterproductive for the opposition.

“This is a legal process guaranteed by the Constitution. Such a mechanism exists in every democratic country. Over recent decades, we have seen around 150 parties banned in Europe alone, 22 parties in Ukraine, and eight parties banned in Moldova over the past three years. No one raised any objections to this whatsoever, because all these cases were legally sound.

Georgia is dealing with an entirely similar situation. The only difference is that the interests involved are biased, because these agent-linked parties are controlled from abroad, and their sponsors do not want to lose their leverage in Georgia. Accordingly, they are doing everything they can to defend this opposition, although the statements being made from abroad are counterproductive for them. None of this is based on any arguments; their only desire is to save their agents,” Machavariani said.