Georgia sent a protest note to the OSCE over the participation of the organization's head in a protest action in Tbilisi
Kyiv • UNN
The Georgian Foreign Ministry expressed a protest to the OSCE Secretariat over the participation of the organization's head, Elina Valtonen, in an anti-government rally in Tbilisi. Georgia considers Valtonen's actions an attempt to mislead the international community and an abuse of her mandate.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to the OSCE Secretariat regarding the appearance of the current OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, at an anti-government rally in Tbilisi, UNN reports with reference to "News Georgia".
Details
The note states that on October 14, Valtonen deviated from the program of her official visit, joined a small group of activists who "freely but illegally blocked the main avenue of Tbilisi," and publicly made a statement "that does not reflect reality." The Georgian Foreign Ministry considers this a "deliberate attempt to mislead the international community about the situation in Georgia."
"These actions contradict the spirit of cooperation within the OSCE and can be regarded as an abuse of the mandate of the current chairperson, which undermines trust and expected neutrality," the Georgian Public Broadcaster quotes the ministry's appeal.
Participation in the rally led to the cancellation of a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the morning of October 15. Valtonen, however, claims that the talks had to be postponed at her initiative due to a changed schedule.
At the rally, Valtonen recorded a video message with words of support for the protesters who are "concerned about their country's repressive course" and "have every right to democracy, freedom of speech, and fundamental human rights." Kobakhidze was particularly outraged that Valtonen presented the situation as if the rally was just beginning, although in reality, the rally was in full swing.