Saarbrücken Ends 50-Year Twin City Relationship With Tbilisi
By Messenger Staff
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
The German city of Saarbrücken is set to end its twin city relationship with Tbilisi, citing Georgia's political situation. It is the second European city to cut ties with the Georgian capital after Nantes, France, did so in June 2025.
The city council is scheduled to vote on formally ending the partnership on May 21, according to local outlet Saarbrücker Zeitung, which first reported the news on May 18. Saarbrücken Mayor Uwe Conradt said the decision was made due to the political situation in Georgia, while noting he would not stop supporting civil society exchanges between the two cities.
The partnership, established in 1975, was historically significant as the first official twin city agreement between a West German city and a Soviet city. Since Georgia regained independence, delegations from both cities had regularly visited each other and maintained active ties between municipalities and civil society organizations, according to the German Embassy. A square near Tbilisi's Dry Bridge was named after Saarbrücken as a symbol of the friendship between the two cities.
The local outlet explained the decision partly by noting that Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze is not only the city's head of government but also the General Secretary of Georgian Dream, making him directly responsible for human rights violations in Georgia.
Kaladze responded with what he framed as a condolence letter to the German people, published on Facebook, which the Tbilisi Mayor's press office confirmed as the city's official response. He said Germany faces enormous challenges, including "social tensions, a values crisis," a "catastrophically increased crime rate," and demographic problems, suggesting German bureaucrats had little business concerning themselves with Georgia under such circumstances. "Unfortunately, due to the decisions of German bureaucracy obedient to the deep state, even historical friendships become subject to political speculation," he wrote. He also referenced police violence against protesters in Copenhagen, a talking point that appeared in Georgian Dream rhetoric for the first time on May 19, when Irakli Kobakhidze raised it in his open letter to EU leaders.
Nantes, the first European city to cut ties with Tbilisi, cited the political situation, violence against protesters, and the dismissal of city hall employees for holding different political views as reasons for ending the relationship in June 2025.
