Mr. Papuashvili has been on the German payroll for 21 years. I believe he's 48 years old, -- German Ambassador to Georgia Peter Fischer stated in an exclusive interview with InterpressNews, when responding to the criticism of the German government by the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili.

According to him, Papuashvili studied in Germany for four years on a scholarship from the German Federal Government. And then he spent 17 years with GIZ, which is the technical implementation agency of German development cooperation.

“I happen to know Mr. Papuashvili well, but according to Wikipedia, he studied in Germany for four years on a scholarship from the German Federal Government. And then he spent 17 years with GIZ, which is the technical implementation agency of German development cooperation. And overwhelmingly, GIZ development projects in Georgia are financed by the German Federal Government. So four plus 17 means 21 years that Mr. Papuashvili has been on the German payroll. I believe he's 48 years old. 21-48 - I don't have any special comment about it”, said the Ambassador.

As for the accusations made by the leaders of the Georgian Dream, and in particular Shalva Papuashvili, against the ambassador himself, Fischer says that he is being used as a “scapegoat” due to the narrative in Georgia regarding “external forces.”

But that's why I'm helpful with this invented narrative. That's the only reason. It's not about me. It's about the narrative. But I would say, don't you think it's strange that, of all the political parties in the world, the Georgian dream talks about a deep state and about opaque forces and informal rulership.

There's an invented narrative in this country. Invented narrative, the story that there's a global war party - that doesn't exist, a deep state that doesn't exist, that wants to harm Georgia. None of that is true.

The contrary is true. Europe has been and will be a friend to Georgia. I really hope Georgians realize and don't believe this invented narrative.

And we talked about manipulative techniques. This is also a technique. It's as old as history to invent a foreign scapegoat, an outside enemy, and everything can be blamed on this outside enemy.

Now, yes, I am the ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany. We are by far the most populous state in the European Union. We are by far the largest economy in the European Union. We are the fourth-largest economy in the world.

And I think the record shows, perhaps, with the USA, we have been Georgia's best friend and partner throughout history, even before the USA was engaged here in 1918, I remind you,

So I'm abused by this inventive narrative of external enemies, and I'm taken as a welcome scapegoat and whipping boy to fit into this narrative. One of your famous politicians said, I'm just a small cog in the deep state.

But that's why I'm helpful with this invented narrative. That's the only reason. It's not about me. It's about the narrative. But I would say, don't you think it's strange that, of all the political parties in the world, the Georgian dream talks about a deep state and about opaque forces and informal rulership.

The narrative here seems to be going in the direction, who is not for us is against us also, an age-old technique, who is not for us is against the state. What's the logic of that? GD is the state that sounds pretty deep to me”, he said.