German Ambassador in Georgia and a ‘secret meeting’: pro-government media attempt to discredit diplomat
Georgian authorities accuse German envoy
The ruling Georgian Dream party has again clashed with Germany’s ambassador to Georgia, Peter Fischer. This time, through government-aligned TV channels, they are accusing the diplomat of committing a criminal offense.
On the morning of 17 January, pro-government TV channels Imedi and Rustavi 2 reported that Ambassador Fischer had allegedly “secretly met with opposition representatives” and assured them that ongoing protests would be futile unless events followed an “Iranian scenario,” which would involve casualties.
However, none of the media outlets provided documentary evidence to support these claims.
Moreover, the meeting in question was one that the ambassador himself had publicly disclosed.
On 15 January, Peter Fischer posted a photo on X, explaining that he had met “young Georgians uniting in @GeoYouthUnion for an engaging discussion on current affairs.” The post was public from the start and made no reference to a “secret” meeting or involvement of political forces.
The participants of the meeting, young people, said that the initiative came from them, and they discussed with the ambassador how the country’s youth view the ongoing political crisis.
According to them, no “violent scenarios” were discussed, and no instructions came from the ambassador.
The activists believe that the accusations spread by government-aligned media are part of a deliberate disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting both the protesters and foreign diplomats.
Following the broadcast of these reports, Ambassador Fischer responded on X:
“I tweeted this photo. Imedi and Rustavi 2 saw it and are running a campaign about a “secret” meaning. Repeat: I tweeted this photo. Get it?” wrote the German ambassador.
- Embassies of 27 European countries sharply respond to accusations by Georgian Dream
- Foreign policy expert: “Georgia’s foreign ministry is under Moscow’s control”
The use of such narratives against European diplomats has increased in recent months in pro-government media in Georgia, especially after Western representatives began openly criticizing Georgian Dream for backsliding on democracy, restricting media freedom, and introducing repressive legislation.
News in Georgia
