“Unfortunately, Georgians and the Georgian issue were exploited for political purposes to secure a few extra votes for Donald Tusk during the vote of confidence in the Polish Parliament,” said Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

According to Papuashvili, this reflects a dishonest attitude toward the Georgian people.

“Yesterday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk faced a vote of confidence in Parliament, and to secure a few extra votes, the Georgian people and community were exploited for political gain under the guise of taking a conservative stance. This is yet another example of how easily the interests of the Georgian people are sacrificed for others’ political agendas.

Claims suggesting that Georgians are problematic in Poland or that their presence is excessive are baseless. The statistics on the behaviour of foreign migrants in Poland—including data on neighbouring countries—clearly show that other groups are larger in number and more frequently involved in various violations. Regrettably, the Georgian issue was misused to influence a domestic political process.

This reflects a dismissive and dishonest attitude toward the Georgian people.

Today’s Polish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have long supported Mikheil Saakashvili. We remember Donald Tusk read a letter from him—an imprisoned criminal who created a system of torture—at a European People’s Party congress, even reserving an empty chair in his honour. Foreign Minister Sikorski continues to call Saakashvili a ‘modernizer’ and ‘exemplary democrat’,” Papuashvili stated.

Papuashvili’s remarks follow comments by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who, during a confidence debate in the Sejm, suggested suspending visa-free travel for several countries, including Georgia.