Georgian Parliament Speaker: opposition ignored Georgian voters and faced consequences

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said that opposition parties will have to participate in the October 2028 elections and respect the mandates they receive, arguing that their decision-making is driven not by the Georgian Constitution but by external instructions.

Responding to a question about whether the opposition’s behaviour might change in light of the stance of the new US administration, Papuashvili noted that after the 2024 elections, some opposition groups were encouraged by the previous US administration and Brussels to refuse their parliamentary mandates.

“At this stage, they can sit at home and prepare for 2028”, adding that they had previously been given the opportunity to take part in democratic processes but chose not to. He emphasised that parliamentary mandates should be used within democratic institutions to represent voters’ voices.

Papuashvili claimed that both the previous US administration and Brussels signaled opposition figures to leave their seats, which he said led to their withdrawal from parliament. He argued that this decision was their own responsibility and resulted from their political choices.

He further alleged that the situation escalated after attempts to change the Government through force, referencing what he described as a “October 4 coup attempt”, and said some political leaders are currently facing punishment for related offenses.

He concluded that the opposition should listen to Georgian voters rather than external actors, adding that recent political outcomes reflected exactly what the ruling side had warned would happen.