In a recent social media post, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili criticized the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for its alleged involvement in Georgian politics. He accused NED of funding TV Pirveli, a channel linked to the radical political party Lelo and oligarch Badri Khazaradze, which he claims aimed to destabilize Georgia's democratically elected government. Papuashvili also highlighted how the channel aired misleading investigations into the deaths of two young people in 2021, which falsely linked the deaths to government actions.

He further condemned NED for not disclosing the NGOs receiving American taxpayer funds after 2021, despite repeated requests. Papuashvili also pointed to NED President Damon Wilson’s support for anti-government protests in Georgia as evidence of the organization’s interference. He concluded by suggesting that NED's actions, including funding radical groups, may point to questionable practices.