Former diplomat Gigiadze wishes new German ambassador 'strength' amid strained ties with Georgia

Gigi Gigiadze, senior researcher at the Economic Policy Research Center, has wished Germany's new ambassador to Georgia, Barbara Voss, "strength" as she begins her tenure amid what he described as an unprecedented deterioration in Georgia-Germany relations.

Gigiadze said he hoped Voss would remain as principled as her predecessor and "call everything by its proper name" while dealing with the Georgian government.

"I want to wish Germany's new ambassador strength and hope that she will be as principled as her predecessor and call everything by its proper name," Gigiadze said.

He described the current state of relations between Georgia and Germany as "completely unprecedented" in terms of its severity and blamed the Georgian Dream government for bringing ties with one of Georgia's closest partners and strongest supporters since the restoration of independence to their current level.

Gigiadze also expressed doubts that the new ambassador would be able to repair relations with Georgian Dream, arguing that the ruling party was not interested in restoring ties with Germany, other European countries or the European Union.

He said the government was likely to continue its current rhetoric and policies, adding that Germany and its new ambassador would not be prepared to accept or ignore them.