“It is ironic that people who were directly involved in undermining elections and the change of the government during the last parliamentary elections and the subsequent periods, tarnishing Georgia’s image and damaging the country’s reputation on an international arena, make similar assessments,” said MP Levan Makhashvili, a member of the Georgian Dream (GD) party.

Makhashvili said he wished MEPs spoke based on truthful information and facts.

“As elections draw closer, we will hear harsher assessments. This scenario is not something new, but one we witnessed on Election Day of the last parliamentary elections. It appears that on hot summer days, our opposition politicians have awakened from a long slumber. Instead of engaging with the people, they choose to make similar statements, seemingly dictated by their patrons. These individuals have a proven track record of causing harm and damage to Georgia, including during elections and within the political process.

We are ready to discuss any of their concerns in any format, whether within the Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Europe’s Ministerial sessions, or other platforms. They aim to cause short-term harm to Georgia by aiding local radical opposition.

Unlike the PACE, there are other platforms where events and processes are assessed openly and rationally. This gives us hope that statements of ideologically motivated MEPs will not bring real outcomes,” he said.

Fifty-one members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have issued a written declaration named “Authoritarian backsliding in Georgia.” The declaration warns that, should Georgia fail to make progress in reversing its authoritarian trajectory, the members will consider challenging the credentials of the Georgian delegation.