**Georgian Parliament Forms Friendship Groups with Most Countries, but Excludes Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia**
The Georgian Parliament’s Bureau has taken a significant step in strengthening ties with countries around the world. However, the decision to form friendship groups with parliaments of various nations was not without controversy.
According to reports, the Bureau had planned to establish friendship groups with the parliaments of all designated countries. But three countries – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – were left out. The reason for this exclusion is a significant one: MPs from these countries declined to join the friendship groups.
The reason behind their refusal is not hard to find. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili made it clear that the decision was based on the unfriendly policies shown by Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia toward the Georgian people. This has caused tension between the two sides, making it difficult for Georgia’s parliamentarians to form friendship groups with their counterparts in these countries.
**A Message from Parliament Speaker**
In a statement, Shalva Papuashvili emphasized that Georgia had taken a deliberate decision to create friendship groups with the parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. However, this could not be achieved due to the unfriendly actions of these countries toward the Georgian people.
“We hope that the parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will return to a friendly policy toward the Georgian people,” Papuashvili said. “This would allow us to form the respective friendship groups.”
**A Call for Change**
Papuashvili’s words were not just a statement; they were a call to action. The Parliament Speaker urged the parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to abandon their unfriendly policies and return to a format of friendship.
As long as these countries pursue an unfriendly agenda toward Georgia, it would be difficult for Georgian parliamentarians to participate in friendship groups with them. This is a reflection of the deep-seated tensions between the two sides.
**What’s Next?**
The decision by Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia not to join the friendship groups will have significant implications. It may lead to increased diplomatic tensions between Georgia and these countries.
In the coming days and weeks, we can expect more developments on this issue. The Georgian Parliament’s Bureau has made it clear that they are willing to engage in dialogue with the parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. But for now, the friendship groups remain a distant dream.
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