Georgian ruling party MP slams German ambassador over reported rental ties to opposition leader’s family

Levan Makhashvili, chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, has accused Germany’s ambassador to Georgia, Peter Fischer, of blurring the lines between diplomatic neutrality and domestic political involvement, following media reports that he is renting a property owned by the wife of opposition leader Mamuka Khazaradze.

Makhashvili on Friday responded to a report aired by the domestic media outlet Rustavi 2 which claimed that Ambassador Fischer resides in a home owned by Khazaradze’s wife. The report also noted the absence of a publicly available rental contract to verify the arrangement.

Makhashvili criticised what he described as “inappropriate closeness,” calling it a potential violation of diplomatic norms.

“This kind of relationship clearly crosses the line between upholding the law and engaging in political corruption, between diplomatic neutrality and interference in domestic affairs,” he said.

He added that Fischer’s past conduct had already raised concerns among the ruling Georgian Dream party.

“From Peter Fischer, this doesn’t come as a surprise. We’ve seen such behaviour before, and for him, it seems that violating the law, the Vienna Convention, or diplomatic ethics might not be a concern,” Makhashvili said.

He also reiterated calls for diplomats to refrain from engaging in actions that could be perceived as interference in Georgia’s internal politics.