“Big scandal”: German MP accuses German Government of meddling in Georgian politics

Malte Kaufmann, the German Bundestag member from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, on Friday accused the German Government of meddling in Georgia’s internal politics by channelling over €800,000 to NGOs ahead of the 2025 local self-government elections.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kaufmann viewed the doubled funding in the lead-up to Georgia’s elections as evidence of deliberate support for opposition groups, aimed at destabilising the Government.

“I think it is clear that the German Government is likely supporting opposition forces in Georgia to create anti-government sentiment. We see this because more than €800,000 were transferred to Georgia in the election year. One year before the elections, it was €500,000 – twice the amount sent the previous year. I believe the German Government is interfering in Georgia's internal politics, which we cannot allow”, he said.

The MP questioned the German Embassy’s role in procurement and reporting, insisting on details about recipients and project purposes, which the government deemed confidential for safety reasons.

“They told us that yes, the German Embassy was involved. We want to establish exactly how it was involved, who received the money, and what projects the funds were spent on. They are not disclosing the purposes of these projects, saying they are confidential, but this involves the use of German taxpayers' money, and we want to know exactly how the funds transferred to Georgia were used. This is a major scandal, and we must clarify it. We need to stop the system of interfering in another country's internal politics”, Kaufmann concluded.

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, on Friday said the public continues to see many unanswered questions, which, in his view, suggests that Germany and its Embassy have “something to hide” regarding the activities of Peter Fischer, Germany’s Ambassador to the country.

The German Government has admitted to providing financial support to non-governmental organisations in Georgia but declined to reveal their identities.

The disclosure came in response to parliamentary questions from the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

In written answers to nine detailed questions submitted by AfD lawmakers, the German Government confirmed ongoing funding for Georgian civil society groups through GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation) and other channels.