German Bundestag Delegation Expresses Concerns Over Georgia's EU Prospects During Tbilisi Visit
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, September 9, 2024
From September 4 to 6, a delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag visited Georgia to discuss the country's political situation and its EU aspirations. The delegation, which included members from four German political parties-Deborah Düring (Alliance 90/The Greens), Jürgen Hardt (CDU), Ulrich Lechte (Free Democratic Party), and Nils Schmid (SPD)-met with Georgian opposition representatives, local think tanks, and civil society groups.
Interestingly, no senior government officials from Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party met with the delegation. Only Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairman of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, engaged with the visiting MPs. The rest of the government, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, were occupied with other commitments, citing a graduation ceremony in Kutaisi as the reason for their absence.
During a press conference on September 6, Nils Schmid highlighted the delegation's concerns over Georgia's future, particularly its path toward European Union membership. Schmid stressed that the upcoming parliamentary elections in October are crucial for Georgia's democratic future. He warned that without fair elections and significant political reforms, Georgia's chances of joining the EU remain slim. Schmid also noted that with the current government's policies, Germany would not support Georgia's accession to the EU, urging reforms in areas like democracy, the rule of law, and civil society.
Other delegation members echoed these concerns. Jürgen Hardt reiterated that Germany remains committed to EU standards for enlargement, while Deborah Düring expressed disappointment that Georgia, once a leader among EU candidate countries, has fallen behind due to recent policies. Ulrich Lechte regretted the lack of government engagement during the visit, mentioning that repeated requests for meetings were ignored despite the delegation's visit being planned well in advance.
In response, Prime Minister Kobakhidze explained that meetings with the delegation were "not feasible," referencing a previous visit by Michael Roth, Chairman of the Bundestag's Foreign Affairs Committee, during which Roth participated in opposition-led protests. Kobakhidze stated that such actions were unacceptable, leading to the government's decision not to engage with the delegation.
