Georgia’s parliament speaker blasts Western diplomats, accusing them of interference

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili in an open letter accused Western diplomats of overstepping their authority, interfering in Georgia’s domestic affairs and promoting polarization.

The letter, published June 7, represents the latest round of Georgian Dream (GD) using open letters to air grievances with Western countries and Tbilisi’s diplomatic corps.

Papuashvili argued that the diplomats in Georgia’s capital have abandoned their previous role of working for international cooperation and have instead become tools for propaganda and even regime change. “Some diplomats act less as representatives of their nations and more as political actors trying to shape our internal developments,” he wrote. The speaker of Georgia’s one-party parliament (due to opposition parties refusing to assume seats) also compared current diplomatic behavior to Soviet-era interventions, drawing parallels to the role of Moscow-appointed second secretaries in the Georgian SSR.

According to the speaker, the foreign missions’ public support for specific political figures, their engagement in legislative debates and financial backing of political NGOs violates the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Critics say the letter is an attempt to preempt Western criticism as Georgian Dream prepares for further crackdowns on opposition media and political rivals. Political analyst Vakhtang Dzabiradze warned that the statement could foreshadow repressive steps, such as legal proceedings or sanctions against dissenters. “They want to portray the West as the source of instability to justify domestic actions,” he said.

Supporters of GD see the letter differently. Analyst Edisher Gvenetadze defended the move, claiming that Western diplomats treat Georgia like a colony. “If Georgia’s embassy began interfering in the UK or France, those countries would object strongly,” he argued.