An openly pro-Kremlin Georgian TV channel, Sezoni TV, has been voicing the false claim that the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński has interfered into Georgia’s upcoming elections by endorsing the party “Akhali.” Myth Detector’s verification revealed that the ambassador never made such a statement publicly, and there is no record of him endorsing any political party. This article was originally published by Myth Detector.

On October 11, during the prime time program “Summary of the Day with Nikoloz Mzhavanadze” on pro-Kremlin Sezoni TV, Gia Kereselidze, a member of the organization “Unity for Peace,” claimed that the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, publicly supported the political party Akhali (New) by allegedly urging people to vote for them. Kereselidze made this claim after another guest on the show, Mikheil Zhgenti, asked whether the West considered Georgia a real state.

Gia Kereselidze: (1:09:50) “If the West considered us a state, such statements, whether from an ambassador or anyone else, would be completely outside of any diplomatic framework, and the ambassador… the EU ambassador, just imagine, the EU ambassador directly said, ‘circle “Akhali” (New).’ I didn’t say this, right? The EU ambassador said it.”

The claim made on pro-Kremlin Sezoni TV that Paweł Herczyński endorsed the party Akhali and called on voters to support them is disinformation. The ambassador never made such a statement publicly, and there is no trace of this claim in any open credible sources.

There is no record of any statement from the EU Ambassador in Georgia that would suggest support for the party Akhali or the Coalition for Change. Herczyński has not called on voters to support any political party.

This claim cannot be found in any open sources. Herczyński’s alleged quote does not appear on the websites of pro-government (1;2;3) or critical media outlets (1;2;3), nor has it been covered by online media (1;2;3). The statement also cannot be found on the website or Facebook page of the European Union Delegation to Georgia.

Ambassador Herczyński has spoken on multiple occasions about supporting Georgia’s European integration. Recently, he has often commented on the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26, linking them to the continuation of the country’s EU membership process. EU leaders, Ambassador Herczyński, and Peter Stano, the spokesperson for the EU’s High Representative, have all stated that the country’s EU integration process is essentially stalled at present.

During the pre-election period, Herczyński has repeatedly commented on the elections but has not expressed support for any particular party. He emphasizes that the choice on October 26 should be made by Georgian citizens. On October 4, speaking with journalists, Herczyński urged Georgians to go out and vote, stating that the EU is ready to work with any government. Specifically, he said:

“I once again call on all Georgians to go and vote. Upcoming elections will be absolutely essential in determining the future of your country. It is for you, Georgian voters, to decide what party you will support. But it is for me to tell you, please go and vote. Your vote really, really matters.”

On October 18, Herczyński made a similar statement, again calling on voters to participate in the election. Additionally, he emphasized that the EU expects fair elections and that all parties should have a competitive environment to present their visions.

“I sincerely hope that people will go out, will vote, that the turnout will be historic high because these elections are essential for Georgia’s future. Please go and vote. This is your right. This is your duty, and this is your choice. You have the power to decide the future of your country, for yourself, and for your children.”

On October 7, when asked by a journalist if recent statements from Georgia’s partners could be seen as interference in the elections, Herczyński replied that if they were making statements in support of a particular party, it would indeed be interference, but they are not doing that. He answered the question as follows:

“It is not my role to tell Georgians what party to support, and what party not to support. That will be clearly interference. This is what I am not doing. But it is my role, as an ambassador of the European Union, to tell everyone loud and clear what is helping Georgia to advance in order to become a member of the European Union one day and what is actually contrary to Georgia’s becoming an EU member state.”

Thus, the claim that Herczyński supported the party Akhali is false. The ambassador has never made any statement endorsing an opposition party.

Spreading fabricated quotes is a familiar tactic of propaganda. During the pre-election period, there has been an increase in the dissemination of fabricated or manipulative statements attributed to individuals critical of the government. Such actions aim to discredit these individuals, and the fact-checking platform Myth Detector regularly checks such instances.