Scandal erupts over OSCE chair’s visit to Georgia
OSCE chair visit Georgia
The Georgian foreign ministry has expressed concern over the visit of the current OSCE chair, Finnish foreign minister Elina Valtonen, and has filed a formal protest with the organisation.
In a note sent to the OSCE secretariat, Tbilisi described Valtonen’s visit to Rustaveli Avenue — a central thoroughfare where protests are regularly held — as “joining a street rally organised by a small group of anti-government activists,” accusing her of attempting to mislead the international community about the situation in Georgia.
The note also warned that Valtonen’s actions could be seen as an abuse of her powers as OSCE chair.
Background
Elina Valtonen was on an official visit to Georgia and on 14 October 2025 went to Rustaveli Avenue, where she met protesters and recorded a video message.
“Peaceful protesters gathered in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, to express their opposition to the country’s repressive policies. They have every right to democracy, freedom of speech, and basic human rights. We are here to support them,” Valtonen said.
Earlier, the OSCE chairperson met with Georgian Dream’s foreign minister, Maka Bochorishvili, where she criticised the ruling party’s anti-democratic policies. However, the Georgian foreign ministry made no mention of Valtonen’s criticism in its press release about the meeting.
On 15 October, the Georgian Dream government issued a statement saying Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze had cancelled a meeting with Valtonen “due to her participation in an illegal protest,” although it later emerged that the meeting had been cancelled by the Finnish foreign ministry itself.
On 16 October, Valtonen publicly invited Kobakhidze to visit Finland, meet representatives of independent media, and attend any demonstration there. She also stressed that Georgia’s future depends solely on its own people.
The same day, the Georgian Interior Ministry fined Valtonen 5,000 lari (around $1,800) for “illegal road obstruction” during her presence on Rustaveli Avenue.
Note of protest
“Outside the official programme of the current OSCE chair, which included a meeting with Georgia’s foreign minister Maka Bochorishvili, a visit to the occupation line, and meetings with several civil society representatives, Minister Elina Valtonen joined a street protest organised by a small group of anti-government activists, who on 14 October blocked Tbilisi’s main avenue without hindrance, albeit illegally.
The minister’s public statement, which does not reflect the facts, is a deliberate attempt to mislead the international community about the current situation in Georgia.
These actions contradict the spirit of cooperation within the OSCE and may be regarded as an abuse of the mandate of the sitting chair, undermining trust and the appearance of neutrality.
Such actions are incompatible with international law. They violate OSCE rules and procedures, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and widely recognised principles, including respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, as set out in the Helsinki Final Act and UN Resolution A/RES/20/213,” the note states.
OSCE chair visit Georgia
