Tedo Japaridze (Georgian Dream Party), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Levan Berdzenishvili (Republicans), Chair of the EU Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia and Victor Dolidze (Free Democrats), Head  of Delegation to the EuroNest (EaP) Parliamentary Assembly, issued the following statement

Strasbourg
 October 27, 2015

“We are appalled at the recent comments of MP Gogi Topadze regarding Joseph Stalin, which stand in glaring opposition to the unambiguous position of the Parliament of Georgia and of our parties – Georgian Dream, Republicans and Free Democrats. 

We recall that the Georgian Parliament on 25 December 2013, in a vote of 87 to 2, adopted an amended and reinforced Liberty Charter, which restricts the public display of symbols of totalitarianism, including images of former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. 

While Mr. Topadze is entitled to his personal opinions, it is clear that the realisation of his propositions would be contrary to the law in Georgia. 

Georgia and the Georgian people suffered massively under the dictatorship of Stalin, and we pay solemn tribute to our own many relations and friends who opposed totalitarianism and perished in the purges and gulags of this horrendous period. 

This tragedy in the history of our country must never be forgotten, and any glorification of the perpetrators of these crimes must, and will, be impeded.”