Tensions Rise Between Georgian Dream and Western Diplomats

| News, Politics, Georgia

On September 24, twenty-six European embassies and the EU rejected accusations of interfering in Georgia’s internal affairs, while the German Ambassador was summoned by the Georgian Foreign Ministry amid tensions with the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Embassies of European countries and the European Union issued a joint statement rejecting "baseless and damaging accusations" made against Western diplomatic missions in Georgia. In the statement, the embassies emphasized that such accusations misled the public and undermined their ability to carry out their diplomatic duties. They stressed that meeting with government officials, opposition representatives, civil society, and citizens was a normal aspect of diplomatic work, fully in line with the Vienna Convention. The missions underlined, "We do not support any particular political party and claims that we support violence and extremism are simply not true," adding that they called on all actors to reject violence. The statement urged political leaders to avoid divisive rhetoric and instead work towards de-escalation. The declaration was signed by the embassies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The embassies of Hungary and Slovakia, whose governments are seen as friendly toward the Georgian Dream party, did not join.

Peter Fischer, the German Ambassador to Georgia, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Tbilisi for the first time in the history of their bilateral relations, following Georgian Dream’s allegations of his interference in internal affairs and violation of the Vienna Convention. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the meeting with First Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Zurabashvili lasted over ninety minutes. Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili was absent due to her participation in the UN General Assembly in New York. In its press release, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated that it had expressed concern about "attempts to encourage a radical agenda within the country, which are inconsistent with the principles of democracy and contribute to the aggravation of societal polarization." The Ministry also highlighted worries about ambassadors allegedly politicizing judicial processes. It recalled Article 41(1) of the 1961 Vienna Convention, noting that diplomats must respect the laws of the host country and refrain from interfering in its internal matters. Furthermore, the Ministry claimed it had requested substantiation from the German Embassy regarding concerns about hate speech and disinformation, but such evidence had not been provided. The statement concluded that these accusations were viewed as "another attempt to assault the government without any basis," while stressing Georgia’s commitment to preserving bilateral relations.

The German Foreign Office rejected the summons in a statement on X, condemning "the continuing aggressive rhetoric by representatives of the Georgian Dream towards the German Ambassador in Tbilisi and his baseless summons." It emphasized that Ambassador Fischer represents the position of the German government and acts in full compliance with the Vienna Convention. Fischer wrote on X that he had "refuted in detail the baseless attacks" and blamed the Georgian government and Georgian Dream representatives for the deterioration of bilateral ties, describing it as a "new low in German-Georgian relations." He added, "I was not heard. I am not a radical. Germany remains a friend."

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