Parliament Chair Shalva Papuashvili Accuses EU of Sheltering Criminal Politicians
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
The Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, emphasized the Georgian people's loyalty to European values while criticizing some European politicians for being misled by bureaucracy. He accused European institutions of covering for Georgian political figures such as Zurab Adeishvili, Davit Kezerashvili, and Mikheil Saakashvili, whom he referred to as part of a "criminal clan" hiding in Europe.
"Today, some European bureaucrats, diplomats, and politicians talk to us about values from moral pedestals," Papuashvili stated, accusing the European Union of allowing criminals like Adeishvili and Kezerashvili to move freely. "It is a shame when the door is open for Zurab Adeishvili in various institutions of the European Union. What prevents the European Union from handing over the criminal Adeishvili to us, what prevents the European Union from handing over the criminal Kezerashvili, and why did Mikheil Saakashvili have the freedom to move freely on the territory of the European Union and from there to get involved in the politics of Georgia as a citizen of Ukraine?"
Papuashvili also addressed the election of Giorgi Gabitashvili as the General Prosecutor of Georgia, expressing the ruling team's positive attitude towards him. "The prosecutor's system and prosecutors of Georgia deserve only praise and thanks from the Georgian people and the Parliament of Georgia. Of course, when we are talking about the candidate who was the deputy general prosecutor in this system, these successes were achieved with his participation, and it is natural that we have a positive attitude towards this candidate," he said.
Regarding allegations linking Gabitashvili to former prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze, Papuashvili dismissed the connection, stating, "I don't understand what this person has to do with this issue."
Giorgi Gabitashvili's candidacy for General Prosecutor has been submitted to the Parliament and referred to the Legal Affairs Committee for consideration. The election is scheduled for an extraordinary session on July 18-19.
