Georgian Parliament Speaker, Shalva Papuashvili stated that the European Endowment for Democracy, which covers its own expenses in Georgia and does not disclose them, directly finances political parties and interferes in elections.

According to the Speaker, opposition parties have created a scheme through fake ‘NGOs’ in order to receive illegal donations.

“There are illegal donations. We are talking about financing from abroad. In fact, what we are observing is that a large part of the opposition is financed directly from abroad, which, given that we are in an election year, is equivalent to foreign interference in Georgian elections. Foreign interference is one of the threats expected in these elections. First of all, this threat comes from Russia. But, I emphasize, it doesn’t matter where the interference comes from – whether it is from Russia, the European Union, or the United States of America; any interference in the Georgian people’s choice is interference, and that is the Russian style.

Therefore, I once again call on those donors who are participants in this hidden scheme and hide their funding. Once again, I will name one – the “European Endowment for Democracy,” which has covered its own expenses in Georgia and does not disclose them. This foundation appears to directly finance political parties and interfere in elections. The proper conduct of elections is just one aspect of the nine-point agenda, and achieving it requires collective effort. We cannot accomplish it alone. The European Union, along with its representation and the European Commission, should intervene in this matter. The “European Endowment for Democracy” is an institution established by the European Union, with strong representation from European parliamentarians, some of whom have direct connections to the “United National Movement,” an opposition political party.

Therefore, it is imperative for the European Union to take action. If our collective goal is to ensure thorough and honest elections, it is essential to prohibit and halt the direct or indirect funding of parties in Georgia from European channels, including Russian channels. This responsibility falls on the European Union, and failure to cease party funding will undoubtedly undermine the integrity of the elections and interfere with the choices of the Georgian people. Regardless of whether the intervention originates from Russia, the European Union, or America, any such interference is akin to the Russian style and must be halted,” stated Papuashvili.