Georgian PM criticises German bureaucracy over “lack of principles”

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday criticised what he described as declining standards within Germany’s bureaucracy, calling the situation “unfortunate” and “unserious”.

Kobakhidze’s remarks came in response to a journalist’s question regarding incorrect names of Georgian officials listed on the website of the German foreign ministry.

The prime minister noted that Germany has historically been known for its strong adherence to principles and high bureaucratic standards.

“Germany has always been distinguished by its special respect for principles, but today we no longer see this at all. Instead, we see that at the bureaucratic level in Germany, all principles are completely rejected, which is very unfortunate”, he said.

Kobakhidze also highlighted that such shortcomings would have been unimaginable in Germany in the past, emphasising that the country once stood out for its reliability and commitment to principles.

“I could never have imagined that such problems would exist in Germany. For example, even 20 years ago, Germany was always distinguished by its strong respect for principles. Today, we no longer see this - instead, at the bureaucratic level, all principles are completely disregarded, and there is no respect for them, which is very unfortunate. Along with being unfortunate, this is also absolutely unserious - that is the only assessment that can be made of this situation”, Kobakhidze concluded.