“The European Commission spokesperson has expressed solidarity with the violent demonstration announced by Levan Khabeishvili and the United National Movement for October 4. I could scarcely believe my ears when we heard this from geographical Brussels,” declared Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

According to Papuashvili, “this is a catastrophic failure of values and a direct sharing of responsibility for the potential violence that might result from the United National Movement’s organised demonstration”.

“Violence has been announced; they announced government overthrow for October 4, meaning violence. This is precisely the main issue. If I’m not mistaken, the European Commission press spokesperson delivered a statement yesterday. What we heard was an absolute catastrophe, as they expressed solidarity with Levan Khabeishvili’s organised October 4 overthrow event. They said they were in solidarity with the demonstration participants. Let’s consider what they are expressing solidarity with. The United National Movement has announced a violent demonstration, government overthrow and turning the country upside down for October 4, the very day when elections are being held, at four o’clock, when elections and voting are still ongoing. Instead of hearing from the European Commission spokesperson, who responded to a question about October 4, emphasising that it is election day and that everyone should participate and vote, this particular spokesperson expressed solidarity with the violent demonstration announced by Levan Khabeishvili and the United National Movement for October 4.

I was listening and could scarcely believe my ears when we heard this from geographical Brussels. What we read in these words is an absolute catastrophic failure of values. This constitutes a direct sharing of responsibility for any potential violence that may arise from the United National Movement’s organised demonstration. Therefore, I want every Georgian to remember yesterday’s statement well, and every foreigner to remember it well. If there is any violence on October 4, if someone throws even one stone in the direction of police, not to mention Molotov cocktails and such things, if there is even one instance of violence, with yesterday’s statement, the European Commission has shared responsibility for this violence through its press spokesperson.

The European Commission must understand that Georgia is nobody’s playground and the fate of Georgians, the lives and health of Georgians, are not Brussels’ plaything instruments. Either they are naive and misguided, unaware of what they are truly dealing with, or how could these words, expressing solidarity with the violent overthrow demonstration officially announced for October 4, have been spoken?

I am well acquainted with Georgian. I understand what the word ‘overthrow’ means in a literary sense, and Georgia is familiar with its legal implications from its history in the 1990s. Nobody here is a fool,” Papuashvili declared.

According to Papuashvili, Georgian society should not witness violence.

“Georgian society should not see what it saw in December, when those people caused a police officer to lose his eyesight. They injured several dozen police officers and burnt several rooms of parliament. We essentially witnessed a staged, virtual war on Rustaveli Avenue, when they were burning police cars with explosive pyrotechnics, setting them on fire, throwing stones, and Molotov cocktails.

Yesterday, the European Commission spokesperson appeared and stated that they expressed support. If there is even one instance of violence on October 4, one thrown stone and one insult to a police officer, an attack on a police officer, an attack on citizens, on various property on Rustaveli Avenue or other state buildings, after yesterday’s statement, the European Commission shares responsibility for this.

I believe the EU Ambassador was, perhaps, a bit nervous. The EC spokesperson issued this statement based on his information. Apparently, he provided details concerning October 4, and he will also bear responsibility for it,” Papuashvili remarked.

For context, Formula TV reported that in response to their question, Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Anitta Hipper, stated regarding the protest demonstration planned for October 4: “We express solidarity with the Georgian people who courageously and peacefully take to the streets, organise demonstrations for European values, for democracy and freedom of speech. The European Union supports democracy and prosperity. Our message is to the Georgian government to allow the right to demonstrate, not to fear the pluralism of free citizens who want their voices to be heard.”