Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili to the Czech Republic on 8-10 November, leading a parliamentary delegation that held meetings with Czech legislative and executive officials amid continuing tensions between Tbilisi and Brussels. The delegation included Deputy Speaker Sozar Subari and Georgian Dream MPs Zviad Shalamberidze, Aluda Ghudushauri and Irma Zavradashvili. On 9 November, Papuashvili Tomio Okamura, Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, with discussions focusing on bilateral relations, parliamentary cooperation, trade, tourism, defence, education and culture. Papuashvili thanked the Czech side for its support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while both sides signaled willingness to strengthen cooperation between their parliamentary friendship groups and relevant committees. They also discussed developments within the EU, international affairs and legislation on the transparency of foreign-funded political activities, with the Czech side expressing interest in Georgia's legislative experience in this area.

Papuashvili also with Czech First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček, Deputy Defence Minister Radovan Vích and the chairman of the parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. Discussions covered trade and economic cooperation, energy security, development of the Middle Corridor and Russia's occupation of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Papuashvili highlighted Georgia's importance as a transit country connecting the Caspian region with European markets, arguing that the Middle Corridor was relevant to both Czech and wider European energy security. According to the Georgian Parliament Speaker, approximately 40% of the Czech Republic's crude oil imports from Azerbaijan were transported through Georgia, and he referred to recently signed Azerbaijani-Czech gas supply arrangements, which he said would also involve transit through the country.

During the visit, Papuashvili Brussels of attempting to obstruct Georgia's bilateral relations with individual EU member states by instructing national capitals not to hold high-level meetings with Georgian delegations. Speaking to journalists in Prague on 9 November, he maintained that Tbilisi had received information from various sources about direct instructions from Brussels to restrict contacts with Georgian officials. As he noted, some EU member states were unwilling to follow what he described as an interference in their national sovereignty and parliamentary independence. Papuashvili underscored that the Czech visit demonstrated the continued scope for bilateral engagement despite worsening relations between Georgia and EU institutions. Papuashvili framed Brussels as pursuing an anti-Georgian policy following Georgian Dream’s 2024 election victory and seeking to undermine Georgia’s ties with individual EU member states.

The recent comments followed the European Commission's on 9 November that Georgian government representatives had not been invited to the EU Enlargement Forum, scheduled for 15-16 November in Brussels. Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier stated that the EU's engagement with the Georgian authorities would remain limited until they demonstrated a willingness to change their current political course, as outlined in the Commission's latest Enlargement Report. Mercier nevertheless remarked that Georgia had been invited to a separate ministerial meeting on connectivity scheduled for 16 November, but at a lower level of representation. The spokesperson explained that participation in such meetings was assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking EU interests into account. The Commission's decision prompted Papuashvili to describe the lower-level invitation as disrespectful towards Georgia's sovereignty and independence. Georgian Parliament Speaker questioned how European officials could discuss the Middle Corridor without appropriate Georgian representation, given the country's role in regional transport connectivity, and noted Georgia would not participate without an appropriate invitation. On 10 November, Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili that Georgia remained ready to engage in discussions and dialogue with the EU but would consider participation only if invited at the appropriate level. Bochorishvili stressed that, for a ministerial-level meeting, the invitation must be extended to the relevant Georgian officials and that Tbilisi would not accept invitations to participate at a lower level. Bochorishvili added that the European Commission was fully aware of Georgia's position. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze had already expressed a similar position on 5 November, saying that Georgia would not attend international meetings unless invited at a higher level.

Papuashvili's visit to the Czech Republic forms part of the Georgian government's broader effort to deepen ties with individual EU member states while pushing back against Brussels' institutional approach to political engagement.