Georgian Parliament Speaker: EU must stop creating “enemy image” of Georgia

Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Sunday called on European Union officials to carefully reflect on his recent letter, emphasising that a shift in rhetoric is essential for the benefit of both the EU and bilateral relations.

Speaking to Georgian journalists in Slovakia, Papuashvili welcomed reports that EU ambassador Paweł Herczyński had forwarded his letter to Brussels. He urged the EU to abandon what he described as “aggressive rhetoric” and “hostile resolutions” directed at Georgia.

“My advice would be for them to diligently read this letter and understand its contents. This will, first and foremost, benefit the EU itself and our bilateral relations. The harmful policy driven by a political agenda must end, as it contradicts the ideals of the Schuman Declaration”, the speaker said.

Papuashvili further warned against the “dark European past” of creating an “enemy image” of an entire nation, urging Brussels to view Georgia as a partner rather than an adversary.

A significant portion of the Speaker’s remarks focused on the overlap between Europe Day and Victory over Fascism Day, both observed on May 9. Papuashvili expressed disappointment that the contributions of the 300 000 Georgians who died in World War II were not sufficiently acknowledged by EU representatives.

“There would be no European Union and no Europe Day were it not for the hundreds of thousands of Georgians who fought against fascism”, Papuashvili noted. He accused certain actors of attempting to “overshadow” or “replace” Victory Day with Europe Day, calling the move “historical ingratitude”.

Papuashvili criticised the conduct of international representatives during the holiday, framing it through the lens of Georgian hospitality and respect.

He argued that replacing Victory Day with other celebrations is an attempt to erase the collective memory of the Great Patriotic War.

The speaker remarked that when a guest enters a host country and fails to acknowledge the host’s day of mourning and remembrance for 300 000 fallen citizens, it defies the standard understanding of how a guest should behave.

“It is very unfortunate if there is an attempt to overlap and erase the memory that exists in Georgian society regarding this war”, Papuashvili concluded.