MP Matikashvili: European institutions ignore Georgian people’s choices, they fill resolutions on Georgia with lies

It appears that both the European Union and the Council of Europe are trying to outdo one another in surprising the Georgian public with ever more falsehoods, slander and new forms of attacks. However, the Georgian people can no longer be surprised by such actions, said Davit Matikashvili, Chair of Parliament’s Procedural Issues and Rules Committee.

Matikashvili responded to a question on Georgian Public Broadcaster’s program Topic of the Day regarding two recent reports on Georgia — one adopted by the European Parliament a week ago and another currently under discussion at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), both of which contain largely identical concerns and recommendations.

“Over at least the past four years, we have heard so many lies and defamatory statements that have crossed every conceivable boundary that nothing surprises us anymore. This is yet another open demonstration that certain actors in Europe and European institutions cannot come to terms with the choice made by the Georgian people. They do not like that decision, and therefore they do not hesitate to include outright falsehoods in resolutions that, frankly, have no value whatsoever.

We often say that these resolutions are worth nothing, and perhaps the phrase has become overused, but that is exactly how we see them. We cannot give them any other assessment.

They have gone so far as to try, without any justification or substantive grounds, to dictate how ordinary Georgian citizens should behave. They want people to act not in accordance with Georgia’s interests and what is best for the country, but according to their own preferences. That approach will not work,” he stated.

Matikashvili argued that the Georgian people have repeatedly expressed their will through elections by voting for the political party they trust.

“Georgians do not trust the United National Movement. They do not trust the individuals these structures would like to bring to power in Georgia. The Georgian people trust the political force that has ensured uninterrupted peace for the last 14 years and created unprecedented economic foundations for the country.

This is not rhetoric; it is reflected in measurable economic growth recognized by institutions such as the World Bank, the IMF and the EBRD. Yet despite this, we are told that mandates and cooperation will be conditioned on meeting political demands, even when we know those demands would work against Georgia’s interests,” he said.

Matikashvili also criticized discussions by European institutions about improving Georgia’s political environment, arguing that political competition cannot be healthy if it is dominated by forces he described as having acted against the country’s interests.

“A healthy political environment requires healthy political forces. How can democracy develop without a healthy opposition? At the same time, there are attempts to portray certain political actors as untouchable despite serious allegations concerning their past conduct.

When representatives of the European Parliament or the Council of Europe speak about Georgia, they should also be asked where they obtain their information and who fills their reports with so many inaccuracies and false claims. As for decisions regarding political parties or individuals, it is not Georgian Dream that determines such matters — those decisions belong to the courts,” Matikashvili said.