Georgian Parliament Speaker: German Ambassador departed on “French leave”, disrespecting state institutions

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday sharply criticised Peter Fischer, the outgoing German Ambassador, saying the diplomat’s departure lacked protocol and respect toward Georgian state institutions.

Papuashvili said the German Ambassador “took French leave”, noting that he did not bid farewell to the President, the Prime Minister, or Parliament, thus demonstrating “a lack of respect toward our statehood”.

“It is noteworthy that the German Ambassador took French leave. He did not bid farewell to the President, the Prime Minister, or the Parliament. By doing so, he once again demonstrated that he does not respect our statehood. This was the main problem throughout his tenure as Ambassador. With this final act, he once again showed complete disrespect for the Georgian state, the Georgian people, their history, and their sovereignty”, he said.

“As for his term as Ambassador, it is regrettable - as I have said on numerous occasions - that this individual managed to undo three decades of partnership in just three years”, Papuashvili continued.

He expressed hope that his departure would lay the foundation for the beginning of improved relations between Georgia and Germany.

“We have repeatedly expressed the profound gratitude the Georgian people hold for the German state, which has supported Georgia since the very first days of its independence. We vividly recall the special relationship between Eduard Shevardnadze and Hans-Dietrich Genscher, which paved the way for the rapid development of political ties between our nations. Regrettably, the legacy Germany had cultivated since the Genscher era was dismantled by Mr. Fischer over the course of his three-year tenure”, Papuashvili concluded.

Fischer officially announced the completion of his diplomatic mission in Georgia in a social media post on Tuesday.