The Council of Europe must explain how funding a radical politician's political project aligns with fostering civil dialogue and what message this sends to the public – Shalva Papuashvili

The Council of Europe is funding a gathering organized by Armaz Akhvlediani in Bakhmaro and presenting it as a project that fosters "civil dialogue"—this is according to Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.

As he notes, the Council of Europe needs to explain: how does funding a radical politician's political project align with the promotion of civil dialogue?

"Once again, to fully grasp the scale of the Bakhmaro gathering scandal—regardless of whether or not the Council of Europe violated the law:

The Council of Europe is funding a gathering organized by Armaz Akhvlediani in Bakhmaro and presenting it as a project that fosters 'civil dialogue.' We are talking about a politician who served as an MP in the 2020 parliament on the party list of the 'National Movement's' Bokeria faction, and who participated in the 2024 parliamentary elections directly on the party list of the dictator Saakashvili." Two years ago, on election night, he was the one declaring: "Ivanishvili’s police regime has been defeated, yet he brazenly ignores this and proclaims victory through the compliant CEC. All four victorious opposition parties are now duty-bound to prevent the 'Russian Dream' from usurping power." Prior to that, he had also refused to recognize the 2020 election results.

"The Council of Europe must explain how funding a radical politician's political project aligns with the promotion of civil dialogue, and what message it sends to the public by funding a politician who rejects election results and labels the government a 'Russian regime.' It is clear that such support only fuels political radicalism and extremism, while undermining the impartiality and credibility of the Council of Europe itself," writes Shalva Papuashvili.