Germany said that it still supported Georgia’s bid for European Union membership as protests have flared in the capital Tbilisi over the government’s plans to shelve accession talks.
Georgia has seen a wave of protests taking place after the governing Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October elections that the pro-European opposition said were fraudulent.
“What is important is that Georgia decides to take this path, and the people we see protesting want to take this path,” said foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer.
At the same time, Fischer criticized the Georgian government for turning away from this goal.
“The massive protests of the last few days also show very clearly that many people in Georgia still want a future in the EU,” foreign ministry spokesman Fischer said.
Deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner said the German government stands by the people of Georgia who are committed to the European values of democracy, freedom of opinion and human rights, and who expect their government to act accordingly.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the violence against protesters in a call with Georgia’s pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili, Steinmeier’s spokesman Cerstin Gammelin said in a post on social media.
“Europe will draw consequences for its approach to the [Georgian] government, but is open to the European hopes of the civilian population,” Steinmeier said.
ftm/rc (dpa, AFP)