“Any European bureaucrat who suggests that Georgia is lagging behind Ukraine and Moldova is, in fact, mocking the Georgian people. They speak of injustices and show complete indifference to the fact that they are merely throwing dust in the eyes of our citizens,” said the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili.

He highlighted that the institutions of the European Union and Brussels are fostering anti-Georgian rhetoric, which he described as deeply unfortunate.

“We often hear baseless attacks on the Georgian people and their right to choose their own government. We have seen Brussels intervene to alter Georgia’s government from the outside, both before the parliamentary elections, when the EU ambassador was involved in the election campaign in violation of international law, and during the events of October 4. It was openly announced that a Nepal-style scenario was to be organised in Georgia, with the European Commission’s press secretary supporting this scheme. No one has offered an apology for such interference.

As for Ukraine and Moldova, I won’t say it is unfair. I believe they are simply mocking the Georgian people. We should see it that way. It is a form of mockery when they claim that Moldova and Ukraine are ahead of Georgia in some objective sense. In reality, they are ahead only in their close relations with Brussels bureaucracy; they’re fulfilling all the directives given by unelected officials.

Yet, in terms of all parameters, economic development, reforms, and stability, Georgia is superior. Moldova, which had better economic indicators than Georgia before the war in Ukraine, has experienced significant faltering since the conflict began. Brussels directly intervened in Moldova’s elections, supporting a particular candidate. Before the elections, Ursula von der Leyen visited Chișinău and promised funding, which raises questions about possible voter bribery and external interference.

Regarding media freedom, Ukraine has total control over its media, largely due to the state of war, and similar restrictions exist in Moldova, where critical journalism faces severe challenges. I am no longer discussing corruption; that’s a separate issue.

When European bureaucrats mock Georgia and claim we are falling behind Ukraine and Moldova, they are, in effect, mocking the Georgian people. They speak of injustices with indifference, as if they’re merely throwing dust into our people’s eyes,” concluded Papuashvili.