Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has criticized German Ambassador Peter Fischer for visiting opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria during her hunger strike on Rustaveli Avenue.

In a social media post, Papuashvili said Fischer admitted he didn’t urge Khoshtaria to end her strike and visited only to express empathy. The Speaker questioned whether the ambassador was sympathizing with the protest itself or with using self-harm to influence political decisions.

“If he sympathizes with this form of coercion, it’s a moral catastrophe,” Papuashvili said, calling the visit a potential “diplomatic catastrophe” if it supported opposition goals.

He also cited the Vienna Convention, saying diplomats should avoid interfering in domestic affairs to protect themselves from “reckless and self-damaging behavior.”

The comment came after Fischer visited Khoshtaria and former MP Gedevan Popkhadze, both on hunger strike against the government’s policies.