On December 9, the First Deputy Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Giorgi Volski, stated on the program “Imedi LIVE” that the foreign ministers who had arrived in Georgia had called on young Georgians to take up arms and overthrow the government.
Giorgi Volski: “Foreign ministers arrived in Georgia and called on young people to attack… to take up arms and overthrow the government.” (28:10)
Giorgi Volski’s claim is disinformation. The foreign ministers of European countries who visited Georgia in May did not make such a call, nor did European parliamentarians who visited Georgia in November called on Georgians to take up arms.
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Foreign Ministers’ speeches at the rally
The foreign ministers of European countries visited Georgia in May 2024. Representatives from Estonia, Lithuania, and Iceland joined the protest against the “Russian law” and addressed the citizens. None of their speeches included calls for taking up arms. Here are the full statements made by the foreign ministers during the protest rallies in May:
Gabrielius Landsbergis (former Foreign Minister of Lithuania):
“Brothers and sisters, I want to clearly declare to the Georgian people, and this includes the Georgian government, the parliament, the police, the military, teachers, doctors, and the people on the streets. I speak because I am on Georgia’s side; I am on the side of a European Georgia. Not so long ago, all of us – Georgians, Ukrainians, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians – got out from behind the Iron Curtain, and this happened at a time when the UN and NATO were still far away, and we took with us only our history, our culture, and our languages. We said that this suffering, everything that was, was enough and that we needed rules that would put human rights at the center. We all had different paths, but we are connected through our goals and possibilities. During the Rose Revolution in 2003, the Baltic countries were with you, and many of us believed that Georgia could walk this path well. When Ukrainians stood up during the Orange Revolution, it was the same. We believed that we were determining our own fate and that history did not end there. Moscow has little interest in seeing a good end to everything and wants us to question ourselves. We stand together because we share common values. Just as the Georgian people, the Lithuanian people believe in European values. Ukrainians are dying every day for the freedom of Europe. Belarusians dream of speaking freely without the KGB’s surveillance. I do not want this future for Georgia. I want a future for the Georgian people where a European future is guaranteed. We began this journey together, and our nations know what it means to be under Moscow’s pressure. We will never abandon you, but each of us must shape the fate of our nations. Such opportunities are very rare, and everything has its price. We must speak openly about what this policy means for Georgia’s European future. That is why I ask the question, where are we going?” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
Margus Tsahkna (Foreign Minister of Estonia):
“Georgian people, I am the Foreign Minister of Estonia, and I bring you the warmest, strongest, and kindest wishes from the Estonian people – you are not alone. Our nations are very well connected; we have so much in common because we share one history. We know very well what the price of freedom is, and we know that freedom cannot be obtained without paying a price. We believe that every nation has the right to freely decide where to be, what values to have, and what values to uphold. I know that the Georgian people and we have decided to share the same values of democracy and freedom. When Estonia gained independence in 1991, we altogether, as a nation and as members of different political parties, decided on our course, and on this path, we will never be alone. As you say, we decided to unite our forces towards joining the European Union and NATO, and now we are members of both organizations. Without this membership, I want to tell you, that I would not be standing here today as the Foreign Minister of free Estonia. We know what it means to lose freedom, to lose the freedom of choice, where you want to be, and what values you want to protect. We know this. Georgian people, you should know that we are all with you, and you will never be alone again. You, as a nation, have decided your path toward Europe, and this is your rightful place. We will all do everything we can to ensure this path continues.” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir (former Foreign Minister of Iceland):
“I am here to show our common solidarity with Georgia’s aspirations. I come from a very small country with a very different history on this path. But the values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law are what form the foundation of our shared values, which bring peace, and which we know very well. We were a small nation that went through a difficult path, but today I am here, by your side, to tell you that you are not alone, and you have our respect.” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
Thus, it is clear from the quotes that the politicians did not call for taking up arms.
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Speeches of European Parliamentarians at the rally
European parliamentarians, including the chairs of foreign relations committees, visited Georgia in November. On November 11, they joined a rally in front of the Parliament. The chairs of the foreign relations committees of the parliaments of Germany, Finland, Sweden, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland visited Georgia. In their speeches, they did not call for taking up arms.
Michael Roth (former Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag):
“My friends, dear colleagues, we are very happy to be back in Tbilisi, the true capital of Europe. We enjoy your hospitality. In reality, we know that some people in this country, in the government, are not particularly pleased with our visit, but we are not enemies; we are friends. We are friends of a free, democratic Georgia, which is practically the center of Europe today – this is your place, and you deserve it. They criticize us for supposedly interfering in your country’s internal affairs. Is this interference?! For me, your courageous president, a woman who is loyal to Europe, is fighting with you for a bright and proud future for your country. They call it interference that we meet you, proud citizens of a country, who fight for European values, democracy, and free and fair elections. This is not interference; this is a shared future in a united Europe. We are here because we want to encourage you, support you, and help you because I know from my Georgian friends that you are tired, you are frustrated, but dear friends, do not give up; we are with you in expressing our solidarity. I fully agree with the ruling party, which criticizes the global war party; yes, such a global war party truly exists, and this global war party is not only a threat to you, proud Georgians; this global war party is a threat also to our Baltic friends, Germany, France, the Scandinavian countries, Spain, Romania, and Bulgaria. The global war party is Russia, Russian imperialism. We know perfectly well that if our friends in Ukraine do not win as a free, democratic, and sovereign country, you will be next, Moldova will be next, Armenia will be next, our Polish friends will be next, and our Baltic friends will be next. We are going in one direction of history; we are fighting against Russian imperialism. You are with us. If you win, we will win. If you survive, we, the European Union, will survive. That is why we are here, to express solidarity, which should unite us and not divide us. It is wrong to threaten Georgia’s young generation, who fight for freedom and democracy; this has nothing to do with European values. I have experience; I worked in the opposition and I worked in the government. I expect the opposition to criticize the government, as that is the essence of democracy. I have hope in you; this may be my last visit to Georgia because I am leaving politics, but I hope to return as a friend of Georgia. In these dark times, I want to remind you that the mission is accomplished; democracy is alive, not because of the ruling party, but because of you. But I am sad to tell you that in liberal democracy, you can never say the mission is accomplished; it is an unfinished project. We must fight for freedom, for justice, for democracy; every day we must defend democracy and freedom in universities, business, family, and politics, and so I want to tell you, do not give up; we are with you. Take one more kilometer towards a united Europe; we need you; your place is at the center of Europe. Thank you very much! Long live Georgia! Long live Europe!” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
Žygimantas Pavilionis (Vice Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament):
“Some want to take away your freedom, some want to take away your democracy, your country, your membership in the European Union, and NATO. Do not give up; fight for your freedom. Fight for democracy, fight for your country, fight for your membership in the EU and NATO, and remember that there is no so-called Orban path to joining the European Union. There is no Russian dream; there is the European dream, and you are part of this Europe. There is the Estonian path, the Polish path, the German path, the French path. You must be the best to enter Europe. That’s why you must have a plan, and you must work on it. Because freedom that is given is not true freedom, you must earn it with 24-hour work, and we will always be on this path with you. You are Europe!” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
Erik Ottoson (Chair of the EU Affairs Committee of Sweden):
“Greetings to Georgia, greetings to Europe! I am very grateful to stand with you. One of the important moments in my political experience was when the people of Georgia stood up against Russian aggression. I was impressed by the resilience of the Georgian people, and here I stand with you, fighting for your freedom, democracy, and your place in Europe. The path to Europe, as my friend said, is not the Orban path; it is the democratic path, the path of the rule of law, the path of freedom, the path of human rights. You are that path! Even the dogs have joined us in this fight. I come from a country that has been pampered by 200 years of peace, and we may be a bit naive, but reality is with us today; it is with the entire European continent; it is with the whole world. Russian aggression is not just one face of tanks and steel, but it also has a face that peeks from the back door, and you may not recognize it until it is too late. But for Georgia, it is not too late; it is never too late. When you fight for democracy, it will never be too late, and when you fight for democracy, you bring it to life. Democracy is strong when the people are with it, when the opposition is with it, and when we have the ties that connect us together in Europe. Never give up, never give in; no matter what you face, stand strong. Together, we will reach our goal. Thank you, Georgia, thank you, Europe.” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
Jukka Kopra (Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Finnish Parliament):
“Hello, Georgia! Greetings from Finland. Democracy is free and fair elections, and democracy needs the people, and we see so many people. Of course, [democracy] needs free and fair elections. Why did I come from Finland to Tbilisi? This is not my first time here; I was first here in 1978 when I was a little child, still during the Soviet regime. In 1978, when I came to Tbilisi with my family, there were demonstrations on Rustaveli Avenue; people were protesting against the Soviet language law. In 1978, the people of Georgia were able to make the Soviet government cancel the language law. You Georgians have a great history of demonstrations. You really have what it takes to advance democracy. We are here to support you on the path of democracy and on the path towards Europe. We are Europe, you are Europe, we are all Europe. Again and again, do not give up on this path, believe in yourself; believe in free and fair elections, believe in freedom. Freedom will win, and democracy will prevail in Georgia.” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
Michał Kamiński (Member of the Foreign Affairs and European Union Affairs Committees of the Polish Parliament):
“I love you, Georgia! I love you, Tbilisi! I stood here with your magnificent President Saakashvili and Poland’s magnificent President Lech Kaczyński. We stood here at the time when Russian tanks were approaching Tbilisi. Tbilisi survived, and Georgia survived. Georgia withstood Russian aggression. I have a dream, I have a true Georgian dream – about a European country, a country full of freedom, a country full of love. This is my Georgian dream and yours. To anyone who wants to steal your elections, steal your votes, steal your freedom – we can repeat the famous words of a Ukrainian soldier: Russian military ship… This is our answer to Putin; this is our answer to Russia. Georgia will be in Europe. No one will dare to steal your votes; no one will dare to steal your freedom. Georgia will be free; Georgia will be in Europe. Finally, I’ll say, Mikheil Saakashvili must be free.” [Translated from the simultaneous Georgian interpretation provided by Formula TV.]
As the full quotes show, there was no call to take up arms during the speeches of European parliamentarians in November. Therefore, the statement made by Giorgi Volski on the Imedi TV channel is disinformation.
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