Shalva Papuashvili Speaks on 'De-Radicalization' in Parliament
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, February 9, 2023
In response to the question of how can the dichotomy of the Georgian Dream and the United National Movement be ended, the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili said that in reality, this is not polarization, but 'radicalization'.
According to him, the main way to solve the problem of depolarization is to recognize that it is radicalization and it is not acceptable, because the radical agenda involves the non-recognition of democratic institutions and elections, and after this recognition, a clear separation from radicalization.
"Radicalization implies that there is one center, democratic institutions, democracy as such, and there is a group that is out of this center, out of orbit, out of the democratic framework.
Here, if we have an expectation that the democratic institutions should move for the radical groups outside the framework, this is damage to democracy.
That's why I said that the only solution to de-radicalization, if we agree that radicalization is a problem, is for radical groups to embrace radical agendas, and the second is to acknowledge the problem, that's half the solution.
The first thing a group that does not consider itself radical must do is recognize the problem of radicalism. Give your name to those groups who are radical and then this solution will appear by itself.
I don't know if you have expectations, because the population of Georgia has no expectations that democracy will retreat from radicalism. On the contrary, radicalism must retreat, and this feeling and assessment, I observe the processes from month to month, from week to week, and I am increasingly convinced that there is an attempt to present radicalization as polarization, thereby forcing democracy to retreat before the radicals - this cannot be the case. The solution is that radicals have to embrace radical agendas.
Even today we see empty chairs and in private conversations, we point out how irrational, illogical, and confrontational this step is," he addressed the deputies.
Shalva Papuashvili cited the process of selecting an ombudsman in the parliament as an example of radicalization. According to him, the parliament turned out to be a hostage of a radical agenda, when some non-governmental organizations selected some candidates from their 'circle behind closed doors' and presented them as an ultimatum to the parliament.
