The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament accused EU institutions of an “open attack” on the Georgian Orthodox Church

The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, has sharply criticized recent resolutions by the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. In his view, these documents violate the country’s sovereignty and represent the first open attempt by European institutions to exert pressure on the Georgian Orthodox Church, which is causing serious discontent among religious citizens.

According to the Orthodoxia News Agency, Papuashvili specifically noted that the mention of the Church in the context of “Russian religious networks and influence operations” in EU reports sets a dangerous precedent. According to the speaker, such actions by European institutions offend the feelings of millions of believers and undermine the very foundations of Georgian statehood, whose two main pillars are democratic institutions and the national Church.

In his statement, the politician called on the European Union to cease hostile rhetoric and disinformation regarding Georgia’s democratically elected government. He emphasized that attempts to cast doubt on Georgia’s sovereignty against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing occupation of part of the country’s territory appear contradictory and violate the fundamental principles of international law.