“Before anyone discusses pardon, we should talk about repentance, whether there is genuine repentance among those who attempted to overthrow the country,” said the Chairman of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili.

He emphasised that repentance must always precede forgiveness.

“Firstly, pardoning is not within my authority. However, I can tell you this: forgiveness is always rooted in repentance. This principle is upheld by both our nation’s laws and the teachings of the church. It has been said many times that before discussing pardon, we must consider whether there is repentance. Do those responsible for attempting to burn people alive with Molotov cocktails, for attempting to set fire to the Georgian Parliament, and for trying to overthrow the government, show signs of remorse? Therefore, forgiveness must always be preceded by true repentance,” Papuashvili concluded.