OSCE chair criticises Georgian Dream during visit to Georgia
OSCE chair visits Georgia
Elina Valtonen, the current OSCE chair and Finland’s foreign minister, criticised the anti-democratic policies of Georgia’s ruling party at a press conference with Georgian Dream foreign minister Maka Bochorishvili.
Valtonen specifically highlighted new repressive laws passed by the government of Bidzina Ivanishvili, which she said are aimed at suppressing civil society and the media. She also condemned the detention of opposition leaders and added that freedom of speech and assembly in Georgia is “in question.”
The Georgian foreign ministry did not comment on Valtonen’s criticism in its press release. According to the ministry, the meeting focused on the difficult situation in Russian-occupied regions of Georgia, including security, human rights, and humanitarian issues.
What did Elina Valtonen say?
“During our meeting, I raised serious concerns regarding Georgia: restrictive legislation affecting civil society, media representatives, and democratic governance, as well as recent amendments limiting the work of NGOs.
We condemn the detention of opposition leaders; freedom of expression and assembly is in question. Civil society does not pose a threat to the country’s stability; on the contrary, NGOs, human rights organisations, the media, and many other institutions are an integral part of democratic resilience. They foster innovation. Their voices must not only be heard but also protected.
That is why our visit to Georgia is focused on engaging with civil society. It is very important that in any democratic system, people are granted the right to make choices. The same applies in Georgia: the people of Georgia themselves choose the future they want.”
What did Maka Bochorishvili say?
“When assessing processes in the country, it is very important that these processes are evaluated objectively.
In a democratic state, it is unacceptable to turn a blind eye to attacks on democratic institutions, and the rule of law in a democratic state is equal and the same for everyone, regardless of who is subject to it.
When we speak about the need for strong democratic institutions, we must not ignore attacks on such democratic institutions as the parliament and the presidency, as well as all those institutions in which civil society participates, when it goes to the polls and elects a government by its own decision.
I fully agree with my colleague that in a democratic state, people, citizens, and voters who make their choice are indeed decisive, and everyone has a duty to protect that choice and respect the democratic institutions that result from their decision.”
During her visit to Georgia, Elina Valtonen will also visit the occupation line and review the current situation on the ground. At the conclusion of her visit, the OSCE chair will hold meetings with representatives of opposition parties and non-governmental organisations.
OSCE chair visits Georgia
