“NGOs gave the Parliament an ultimatum. The head of one of them, financed by the embassies of Denmark and the Netherlands, even set a one-hour deadline,” said the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.
He urged the embassies of Denmark and the Netherlands to clarify their position.
“I believe these embassies should state their position regarding the purpose of financing this NGO. Is it presenting ultimatums to the representative body of the Georgian people, dictating which laws to adopt and which not to? It’s not just about making statements; they even set a one-hour deadline amidst people in the streets, potentially inciting action. When this deadline passed, the head of the same NGO called for the demonstration to move to the Government Chancellery, effectively escalating tensions and increasing the risk of confrontation with the police. The area near the Chancellery is smaller than Rustaveli Avenue, so urging people to move there raises the risk of physical contact with the police. Therefore, it’s important for the Netherlands and Denmark embassies, as well as other sponsors of these NGOs, to clarify their stance.
Yesterday, organizations funded by them gave the Georgian Parliament an ultimatum and attempted to turn a peaceful rally into a potentially violent one. Imagine if Georgia financed an organization in the Netherlands, Denmark, or any other country, and that organization presented ultimatums to their parliament. This illustrates the importance of transparency in funding. Knowing who exactly funds such organizations serves two purposes: firstly, the public is informed about these organizations and their financiers, and secondly, donors are held accountable for how their funding is utilized.
In the case of yesterday’s events, we need to know the position of these embassies or donors regarding the ultimatums presented by the NGOs financed by them. Are they distancing themselves from these ultimatums? It’s not about criticism or advice; it’s about the setting of ultimatums and the potential consequences, including inciting violence,” Papuashvili stated.
