Speaker of the Georgian Parliament criticised Finnish Foreign Minister / OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Elina Valtonen, questioning the sincerity of her statements in support of Georgia’s sovereignty after her participation in what he called an “illegal rally” in Tbilisi.

“I want to respond to the actions of the Finnish Foreign Minister, who also serves as the OSCE Chairperson, regarding her behaviour yesterday, when she took part in an illegal protest and road blockade. Everyone saw it live and in photos. Her statement also included attempts to spread false narratives. Today, we all saw the Prime Minister’s announcement and the Government’s position that the meeting was canceled.

This is exactly what we mean when we say that international institutions are being instrumentalised and used as a tool against Georgian democracy. The Finnish Foreign Minister came to Georgia within the framework of her OSCE chairmanship, yet used the visit to support radical groups. Moreover, she directly and blatantly violated Georgian law and Article 41 of the Vienna Convention.

This morning, the Minister visited the occupation line in Odzisi, and, just like in her previous statements, she wanted to show respect for sovereignty. But what is the value of declaring support for sovereignty in Odzisi when you violate it yourself on Rustaveli Avenue? It’s important for the public to fully understand this behavior, which also undermines the OSCE as an organization”, - said Shalva Papuashvili.