“I was not involved in the organisational matters and do not know whether an invitation was sent or not. However, had it been up to me, I would certainly not have sent an invitation to the German Ambassador,” declared the leader of the parliamentary majority, MP Irakli Kirtskhalia, in response to a question from journalists.

Specifically, Kirtskhalia was asked: “The ambassadors of Germany and the United Kingdom did not attend today’s ceremony. Did you send them invitations and they did not come, or did you not invite them at all?”

“I was not involved in the organisational matters. Had I been involved, believe me, I would certainly not have sent an invitation to the German Ambassador. This is my personal view. I say this to you sincerely. This individual, and these individuals, have transgressed not only the bounds of diplomatic values and the Vienna Convention; not only have they trampled underfoot the dignity of the host country and everything that the Vienna Convention obliges them to uphold, but for years now they have been crossing over into outright, open insult.

Personally, I would not have invited them. I was not involved in the organisational matters and do not know whether an invitation was sent. Had it specifically been down to me, Irakli Kirtskhalia, I would certainly not have sent an invitation to the German Ambassador, nor to the ambassador of any country that openly declares that if fuel prices in their own country have risen fivefold and their own population cannot fill their cars, then Georgia ought to suffer alongside them. It turns out our country must suffer too. How am I to acknowledge that this individual represents the worthy interests of a worthy partner country,” declared Irakli Kirtskhalia.