Georgian Prime Minister denounces German Foreign Ministry's interference in domestic judiciary

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday criticised the German Foreign Ministry’s statement regarding the release of Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder and director of the domestic news outlet Batumelebi, who was detained after physically assaulting a law enforcement officer, calling it a blatant interference in the domestic judicial independence.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze emphasised that this was not the first instance of external interference, recalling previous occasions when German politicians and the EU Ambassador allegedly attempted to influence Georgia’s electoral processes.

“Previously, they directly and harshly interfered in our elections. These were German politicians, the EU Ambassador, and others. Now, they are directly and blatantly interfering in the independence of our judiciary, and this is absolutely unacceptable. Especially considering that Germany has always been known for its deep respect for the rule of law and the principles of a legal state”, the PM said.

He further criticised Germany’s stance, saying “I no longer recognise Germany - it is absolutely unrecognisable. This is a country where the idea of a legal state developed significantly, yet today this idea has been completely trampled by German bureaucrats”.

Regarding potential changes in Germany’s policies under a new Chancellor, Kobakhidze remarked “let’s keep that hope. If the new Chancellor is independent of the influence of the deep state and the Global War Party, then there will be changes. However, it is difficult to predict this in advance. We will see how events will unfold. You can see where the influence of the Global War Party and the deep state can lead certain countries. The best example of this is the Baltic states, which have completely lost their sovereignty and, consequently, all fundamental principles. This is very unfortunate for us, considering the special relationship our country has with the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian people”.

The German Foreign Ministry recently issued a statement calling for the release of Mzia Amaghlobeli.

This statement has been perceived by the Georgian Government as an attempt to exert external influence on the country’s legal processes.