The incident involving German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier occurred at an event at Bellevue Palace dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Writer Marko Martin criticized Steinmeier during his speech for supporting the Nord Stream 2 project when he was foreign minister.
Eyewitnesses reported that during Martin's speech, Steinmeier could barely contain his emotions: "He was breathing heavily and clenching his jaw," TASS reported, citing German sources.
However, during a subsequent reception, the head of state approached Martin to lecture him from the position of his office.
The President's Office responded that the discussion was constructive despite the differences in positions.
Steinmeier's reaction, according to the press secretary, was professional and did not go beyond the scope of a normal political discussion.
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany discussed the speech with the writer from opposing positions, but constructively and to the point.
