Archil Gorduladze, First Deputy Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction, on Friday criticized what he called the “perceived silence” of Germany’s Ambassador to Georgia regarding the violent New Year’s Eve clashes in Berlin. He argued that the same standards should apply when evaluating unlawful protests in both Germany and Georgia.
Gorduladze accused German officials of applying “double standards,” referencing incidents in Georgia where international criticism was voiced over similar protests. He questioned why no statement had been made by the German Ambassador in Georgia to explain the events in Berlin to the Georgian public.
“Why is there no statement? How will they explain what is happening in Germany right now? Unlawful actions, like throwing fireworks at law enforcement officers, must be deemed unacceptable in both countries,” Gorduladze said.
He further suggested his party could accuse Germany of democratic backsliding or demand the release of detainees in Berlin by claiming they were peaceful protesters, but emphasized that Georgian authorities avoided making “narratives based on fabricated facts.”
Gorduladze concluded that illegal acts, such as attacking police officers with fireworks, must be judged by the same standards in both Georgia and Germany.
In Berlin, violent clashes during New Year’s celebrations left 30 police officers and one firefighter injured, with city officials reporting 400 arrests. Hundreds of officers were deployed to prevent further violence. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has since promised to prosecute all offenders with “the utmost severity.”
