Germany and Georgia share an exceptionally long-standing relationship. Today, however, dialogue on German-Georgian ties also means expressing deep regret over how severely they have suffered over the past year, stated the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Tbilisi, Barbara Voss.
“Ilia State University (Iliauni), which over the past twenty years has become Georgia’s most internationally recognized university thanks to extensive financial support, particularly from Germany, and which cooperates closely with it in research, is now under threat,” the Ambassador said.
According to her, “all four political foundations that have supported Georgia and the Georgian people on their path to European integration for decades were forced to temporarily suspend their activities due to a decision by the Georgian government. Two of the four foundations closed their offices two days ago.”
“Personally, as ambassador, I will make every effort to preserve as much as possible of what has been built between Georgia and Germany—be it scientific cooperation, scholarship programs, or Eastern Partnership projects. The Federal Government of Germany will continue to allocate substantial resources to strengthen mutual understanding, especially among the youth of our countries,” the German Ambassador emphasized.
The diplomat also addressed the topic of geopolitics, noting that Georgians know firsthand the pain of Russian invasion. According to Voss, from the perspective of international security, Georgia and Germany share common interests and face identical threats.
“Russia is attempting to destabilize Europe and divide people through disinformation, threats, sabotage, and aggression. Georgians have felt the pain of Russian invasion deeply—20% of their territory remains occupied—and they know that Russia seeks not a balance of power, but subjugation. Germany continues to firmly support Georgia’s sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and its right to make decisions regarding its own security independently. Within the framework of cooperation with NATO, we continue our engagement with the Georgian Defense Forces, aimed at further strengthening defense capabilities in the face of potential aggression and promoting security both in the South Caucasus and in Europe,” the German Ambassador emphasized.
