GD Parliament Speaker Visits Hungary
On May 11, Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili visited Budapest to participate in the annual Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments (EUSC), which was held on May 12. Papuashvili also held bilateral meetings during the visit with Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of PACE, Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg and Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy.
The GD delegation includes Nikoloz Samkharadze, chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Levan Makhashvili, chair of the EU Integration Committee.
Papuashvili’s Speech at EUSC
Papuashvili opened his address by stating Georgia’s solidarity with Ukraine amid ongoing Russian aggression: “Georgia always supported and will always support Ukraine and its fight for its independence and territorial integrity.”
In his address he detracted the EU for “speaking us with the language of directives” and “intervening” with Georgian sovereignty. Papuashvili said that while European integration offers significant advantages, it must not come at the expense of national traditions and democratic self-governance.
“The centralized EU structure sometimes imposes strict conditionality that does not necessarily reflect the consensus,” complained the GD Parliament Speaker.
“As Europe faces serious challenges, the debate about federalism and national sovereignty should center on maximizing the benefits of integration while respecting the autonomy and traditions of member states,” he said. “Excessively empowered center structures of the European Union might not allow for making the decision that best reflects the unique political, economic, and cultural context of each country.”
Despite GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s November 28, 2024 announcement that the country would halt its EU membership process until 2028, Papuashvili claimed that the GD government remains committed to the European membership path. He described the Georgian Dream administration as the one that has “done the most to advance Georgia towards the EU,” but criticized what he called a “peculiar treatment” by EU institutions.
“While the parliament is elected by the Georgian people and represents its will, regrettably, we see attendance by some European institutions to speak with us in the language of directives, imposing obligations without granting the rights,” Papuashvili said. “Having obligations without the right of the voice, especially within the EU institutions where Georgia has no representation as yet, does not fit well with the very principle of democratic pluralism on which the EU rests.”
The GD Parliament Speaker particularly took aim at EU calls for judicial reform and for the introduction of a “vetting” system involving international oversight, calling it a violation of national sovereignty. “This system, if accepted, will contradict the very principle of democracy, where authorities stem from the people… I doubt that any of the EU member states would have allowed such an intervention in their sovereignty,” he said.
In its 2023 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy, the EU Commission, expressing concern about the integrity and independence of the Georgian judiciary spoke of the need for Georgia to establish a system of extraordinary integrity checks, with the involvement of international experts, for all leading positions in the judiciary, and to establish a system of effective assets declarations. Prime Minister Kobakhidze later argued such vetting would violate Georgia’s constitution.
He called for “giving a more critical examination to the current debate about replacing consensus-based decision-making with a majority principle.” He said: “Democracy should be based on deliberation, not imposition,” adding: “In a community of nation-states, small states’ voices should be heard equal to the others because the truth is not measured by the quantity alone.”
Meeting with Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of PACE
On May 12, the GD Parliament Speaker met with Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and briefed him on preparations for Georgia’s upcoming municipal elections, according to a statement from the GD Parliament.
The meeting also addressed Georgia’s suspended participation in PACE. Papuashvili drew attention to a resolution adopted by the Assembly on Jan. 29, which, according to him, urged Georgian lawmakers to withdraw from the delegation. As stated in the press release, he reiterated that Georgia remains committed to the core principles and values of the Council of Europe.
The January resolution called on Georgian authorities to hold new elections and release all political prisoners. A day later, Tea Tsulukiani, head of the Georgian Dream delegation to PACE, announced that Georgia was suspending its participation in the Assembly, calling the conditions set by PACE “unfair” and an “infringement on the country’s sovereignty.”
Following the meeting, Papuashvili wrote on X, “Productive conversation with Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. We talked about political developments in Georgia, and preparations for local elections. We discussed the reasoning behind the decision of annulment of the Georgian parliamentary delegation to PACE. People’s choice is the most fundamental value of democracy. I reiterated that Georgia remains committed to Council of Europe’s values & principles.”
Meeting with Claude Wiseler, President of Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
On May 12, Shalva Papuashvili met with Claude Wiseler, the President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg, with the parties focusing on further deepening parliamentary ties between the two nations.
According to a press release, Papuashvili “emphasized that Georgia places significant importance on its relations with Luxembourg, given that Luxembourg is a founding member of both NATO and the European Union.” He also “provided information about recent developments in Georgia, the parliamentary agenda, and the country’s aspirations toward EU membership.”
Meeting with Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy
As part of the EUSC framework, GD Speaker met on May 12 with Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, to discuss bilateral ties and future cooperation. The two officials emphasized the friendly relations and “fruitful cooperation” between Georgia and Italy, noting opportunities to further deepen parliamentary collaboration, according to the GD Parliament Speaker.
“The conversation also touched upon current developments in Georgia, the legislative activities of Parliament, and Georgia’s integration into the European Union,” Papuashvili wrote on Facebook. “I stated that Georgia will continue to fulfill the obligations stipulated in the Association Agreement so that the country is ready to join the European Union by 2030.”
Papuashvili added that Fontana expressed strong support for Georgia’s EU aspirations and a commitment to advancing inter-parliamentary relations.
“Discussed friendly bonds between Georgia and Italy with Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies,” Papuashvili later posted on X. “Emphasized the importance of High-Level Dialogue between Georgia and Italy, established in 2023. Italy, an EU founding country, plays an important role in shaping our common European future. We count on Italy’s support for Georgia’s EU membership cause.”
This news was updated on May 13 at 15:35 to include Papuashvili’s meetings with Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of PACE, Claude Wiseler, the President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg and Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy.
Also Read:
- 09/05/2025 – Georgia Not Invited to Informal EU Meeting in Warsaw
- 08/04/2025 – GD Speaker Papuashvili Attends 150th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union in Uzbekistan
- 29/01/2025 – GD Parliament Speaker Papuashvili Visits Hungary
- 11/11/2024 – Speaker Denounces Visit of Key European MPs, Refuses to Meet Them
- 09/10/2024 –Speaker: European Parliament Draft Resolution “Outrageous, Shameful, Disgusting”
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