Georgian Parliamentary Speaker accuses EU-funded NGOs of undermining democracy

Georgia’s Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has accused European Union-funded non-governmental organisations of promoting extremism and undermining democratic institutions, in a statement published on social media on Thursday.

Papuashvili criticised the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and the Social Justice Centre - two of the country’s most prominent civil society organisations  - claiming they were major recipients of funding from the European Union Embassy in Georgia.

"The largest funder of these NGOs is the EU Embassy," Papuashvili wrote. "The embassy must clarify whether it intends to support the use of EU citizens’ money for extremist activities."

In his remarks, the Speaker took aim at individuals and organisations that have referred to the Georgian Parliament as “illegitimate”, calling such claims disinformation and a denial of democratic institutions.

“The goal of not recognising democracy is to create an ideological base and illusory legitimacy for extremism,” he said.

Papuashvili went further, accusing the EU of failing to uphold its own standards of accountability. “It is alarming that the EU Embassy has not once condemned the violence, hatred and disinformation emanating from individuals it funds,” he said.

Citing the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, he asserted that responsible foreign funding was not optional, but a binding legal obligation under international norms. “Violation of this principle,” he warned, “is a breach of the rules-based international order.”