TBILISI, October 16 – Georgia’s diplomatic rift with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) widened on Thursday after the government fined Elina Valtonen, Finland’s foreign minister and current OSCE chair, for joining an anti-government protest during her recent visit to Tbilisi.
The Interior Ministry confirmed to Interpressnews that Valtonen was fined 5,000 lari (about USD 1,800) for “blocking the road” on Rustaveli Avenue while speaking to protesters outside parliament on October 14. Valtonen, who was in Georgia on an official OSCE visit, had briefly stopped to meet demonstrators and discuss their demands.
Her visit triggered a sharp backlash from Georgian authorities. The next day, the government announced that Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was canceling his scheduled meeting with Valtonen, citing her participation in what it called an “illegal rally” and her “false statements.”
However, Valtonen later told Finland’s Helsingin Sanomat newspaper that the meeting was actually canceled at Finland’s initiative due to changes in her schedule.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry sent a formal note of protest to the OSCE Secretariat and member states, expressing “deep concern” over Valtonen’s actions. The note accused her of exceeding her official program, which had included meetings with Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, a visit to the occupation line, and talks with civil society representatives.
According to the ministry, Valtonen “joined an anti-government rally that illegally blocked Tbilisi’s main avenue” and made a public statement that “misrepresented the situation in Georgia,” calling it a “deliberate attempt to mislead the international community.”
The note further claimed that Valtonen’s conduct “violated the spirit of cooperation within the OSCE” and could be seen as “an abuse of her mandate as chair.” It said her actions were “incompatible with international law principles,” including respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, as outlined in the Helsinki Final Act, UN Resolution A/RES/20/213, and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Valtonen has not publicly responded to the fine or the note at publication time.
