“It is alarming when the British Ambassador is personally involved in spreading disinformation; it is doubly alarming when he does this at a meeting with students, thereby brainwashing students by imposing a disinformation narrative upon them,” Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili told journalists.

The Parliament Speaker commented on a meeting between the British Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, and students, where, according to reports, the Ambassador said that “relations between the two countries have been damaged and anti-democratic steps have been taken by Georgian Dream towards non-governmental organisations and the opposition”.

In response, Papuashvili stated that it is alarming when an ambassador is personally involved in spreading disinformation.

“This is, of course, a lie. It is alarming when an ambassador is personally involved in spreading disinformation. It is doubly alarming when he does this at a meeting with students, thereby brainwashing students by imposing a disinformation narrative upon them.
Imagine if Georgia’s Ambassador to Great Britain went around universities engaged in a political campaign against the British government. This is a political campaign against Georgia’s government, in which the British Ambassador has become a participant. He is directly spreading lies and disinformation.

Regarding the BBC, the British television, when we see the Ambassador involved in disseminating disinformation, anti-Georgian disinformation aimed at orchestrating a political campaign against the government, it is, of course, no surprise that the BBC, a public broadcaster, is spreading disinformation. On the contrary, this raises further questions from society: who is behind the BBC’s coverage? Is it the creative work of individual journalists, or is it a hybrid operation against Georgia, carried out with state involvement?

Regrettably, the British Ambassador’s personal participation in spreading disinformation and false narratives against the government stirs up such suspicions in our society,” Shalva Papuashvili stated.