The German city of Saarbrücken, which has been twinned with Tbilisi since the Soviet era, is ending its friendship with the Georgian capital.
The decision to suspend official relations is linked to ongoing political developments in Georgia, including laws and policies that critics say restrict freedom of expression, protest, media activity and the work of non-governmental organizations.
Saarbrücken Zeitung reports that the Saarbrücken city administration cites the requirement for organizations receiving foreign funding to register as agents, calls to ban opposition parties, the suppression of demonstrations, arrests of opposition members, and legislation limiting freedom of assembly, the press and expression.
“The country is moving toward a one-party system, a police state and dictatorship,” the publication quotes the mayor as saying.
The publication notes that Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze is not only a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, but also its Secretary General.
“Thus, Kakha Kaladze supports and shares responsibility for these developments,” the Saarbrücken city administration states.
The city administration says it therefore decided last year to cancel an official ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the partnership and instead meet only with representatives of Georgian civil society, effectively withdrawing Kaladze’s invitation. No official contact has reportedly taken place since then.
The Saarbrücken mayor is calling on the city council to support the continuation of relations between residents of the two cities and maintain civil and cultural exchanges, while suspending official contacts with the current leadership of Tbilisi.
The initiative is expected to receive broad support in the city council.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze responded with a “letter of condolence” addressed to the German people. In the letter, he criticises what he calls “German bureaucracy” and claims it is subservient to the “Deep State.” He also describes Germany as facing major social, economic and demographic challenges.
Saarbrücken is the second European city to end its friendship with Tbilisi. The French city of Nantes suspended its partnership in June 2025, also citing political developments and concerns over violence against protesters and dismissals of municipal staff with differing political views.
The Tbilisi–Saarbrücken partnership, signed in 1975, was the first official twinning between a West German city and a city in the Soviet Union. The Saarbrücken name remains represented in central Tbilisi near the Dry Bridge, marking the long-standing relationship between the two cities. The German Embassy notes that since Georgia’s independence, the two cities have maintained regular exchanges, including visits, cultural cooperation, and municipal partnerships.
