Peter Fischer: Germany is Reviewing Relations with Georgia
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, July 11, 2024
In a recent discussion with journalists, the German ambassador to Georgia, Peter Fischer, revealed that Germany is reassessing its relationship with Georgia. This comes after the European Council's decision on June 27 to halt Georgia's EU accession process.
"Today, we have an event organized by the German civil society, where the enlargement of the European Union is being discussed. Three members of the German parliament are present here, and this is a very important topic for Georgia," Fischer stated. He highlighted that Georgia, a candidate for EU membership, has reached a difficult moment in its accession journey. "Based on the actions of the Georgian government, the European Council, consisting of 27 heads of state and government, decided to suspend the accession process with Georgia. The accession process of Georgia has been halted. Now this is the policy of the European Union and it is very sad," he said.
Fischer emphasized Germany's significant role in development cooperation with Georgia, mentioning that, along with the United States, Germany is one of the largest donors. However, he announced that Germany has decided not to make new financial commitments to Georgia at the moment. "The German armed forces canceled their participation in the Noble Partner exercises. We canceled the big legal forum that was held in Tbilisi last year and was supposed to be held in Berlin this summer. We are considering further actions," Fischer added.
He urged Georgian citizens to consider the importance of EU membership for their future. "We want you to join the European Union, but you know the process. You must meet our standards, and if you do not, then you will not be able to join. So, Georgian citizens and Georgian friends should think about how important the European Union is for you, your children, your grandchildren," Fischer said.
The ambassador's comments came during an international conference titled "EU Enlargement - A Geopolitical Necessity and the Next Steps for the EU Candidate States," held in Tbilisi. The event, opened by Fischer, included representatives of the Associated Trio, the civil society of the Western Balkans, and members of the German Bundestag. The conference aims to create a platform for EU candidate countries to effectively utilize their opportunities on their path to joining the European Union.
