Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has publicly criticized Germany for what he describes as a double standard in its approach to anti-government groups. In a social media statement, Papuashvili drew a direct comparison between Germany’s domestic actions and its foreign funding decisions, specifically in Georgia.

“In Germany, the government has banned the so-called Reichsbürger group for refusing to recognise the legitimacy of the elected government, creating parallel structures, and boycotting government decisions,” he wrote. “Yet, in Georgia, the same German government funds groups that do exactly the same.”

Papuashvili elaborated further, stating: “In Germany, this group was banned for denying the legitimacy of the state, setting up parallel institutions, obstructing law enforcement, and claiming the country is under foreign occupation. But in Georgia, similar groups receive funding from the German government while engaging in the same behaviors—challenging the authority of elected officials, obstructing the work of law enforcement, and declaring that Georgia is effectively under occupation. This is happening simultaneously—on the same planet.”

His comments come in the wake of Germany’s recent ban on the right-wing extremist group Kingdom of Germany, which led to the arrest of four individuals, including the group’s leader, Peter Fitzek.