Parliament Chairman Papuashvili Accuses Opposition Leaders of Being 'Anti-National' and 'Anti-Church'
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Chairman of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili characterized the opposition as being against the nation and the church, labeling them as "anti-national and anti-church" in his statement. He stated that, during the upcoming elections in October, the population of Georgia will face a choice between the ruling party, Georgian Dream, which he claims aligns with national interests, and the opposition, which he accused of being "anti-Georgian" and working against the interests of Georgia.
"We have witnessed hysteria from the opposition regarding the EU integration process. Initially, they stated that they wouldn't spend time in working groups; now, they are in a frenzy to create working groups. This reminds me of the exact same people who, during COVID, advocated for opening the country, and once we opened, they demanded to close it.
The sole purpose of this hysteria is to perpetually keep the society in a state of anxiety, to constantly keep the entire society on edge. Our action plan has been made public, and we will adhere to it precisely. There will be work formats, and, of course, if the opposition wishes to assist the government, they are welcome to do so." Papuashvili said.
Papuashvili accused opposition leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Davit Kezerashvili of being individuals who typically advocate for secularism but are now criticizing the patriarch's epistle. He asserted that this constitutes a direct conflict with the Church and claimed that the party Lelo, under the leadership of Mamuka Khazaradze, is actively involved in a direct fight against the Church and, specifically, against the Patriarch.
"The opposition has already clearly occupied not only an anti-Georgian but also an anti-Church niche. Today, I listened to comments from the opposition, including Mamuka Khazaradze and Davit Kezerashvili's TV reports, where individuals who usually talk about secularism at other times chose to criticize the patriarch's epistle. This is a direct fight with the Church, and it can be seen that Lelo, in this case, positioned itself as a party under the leadership of Mamuka Khazaradze, who is directly fighting against the Church and not only the Church; in this case, they are already directly fighting against the Patriarch.
The opposition is an anti-national and anti-church group, therefore, at the end of the year, in October, when there will be elections, the population of Georgia will have a choice between the Georgian dream, which comes from national interests, is based on the history of Georgia, the history of its spirituality, and, on the other hand, the opposition, which is Anti-Georgian and acting against the interests of Georgia and acting against the Church and Patriarch of Georgia" Papuashvili said.
