Georgian PM: German Ambassador’s residency rental from opposition leader “speaks to complete loss of values”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Saturday accused Peter Fischer, Germany’s Ambassador to the country, of undermining diplomatic neutrality by renting property from an opposition leader and participating in political events, which he claimed reflects a broader decline in the values of European institutions.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze pointed to this arrangement as indicative of deeper corruption.

“When a European ambassador engages in such behaviour as renting a residence from an opposition leader, it indicates that nothing remains of the values that once characterised European bureaucracy”, Kobakhidze said.

He further highlighted the Ambassador’s actions, noting his participation in what he described as a pre-election event in Bolnisi alongside the opposition politician and involvement in other opposition activities.

“When you add to this the fact that such an ambassador first rents a residence from a specific opposition politician and then follows that opposition politician to Bolnisi for what is practically a pre-election event, and is directly involved in other types of opposition activities, all of this points to corruption in a broader sense, which unfortunately is deeply rooted in today’s European bureaucracy”, the PM concluded.

Gia Volski, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the First Vice Speaker of the Parliament, on Friday accused Peter Fischer, Germany’s Ambassador to Georgia, of engaging in “political corruption” by renting an apartment from the family of Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of the opposition Lelo party, while openly supporting his political positions.