Georgian PM accuses Finland’s FM of supporting anti-gov't protests

Finland’s Foreign Minister and current OSCE Chair, Elina Valtonen, has reportedly been tasked with encouraging a revolutionary process in Georgia, said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

“Whatever task they are given, they carry out. Hasn’t she embarrassed herself? She joined an illegal action of 50 people. She had to lie — claiming that people were gathering, that Finnish flags were waving. She spoke utter nonsense. Her level is below Salome Zourabichvili. This is the real face that European bureaucracy is showing us today,” said Irakli Kobakhidze, referring to Georgia's former pro-Western President, with whom his government has clashed repeatedly, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

The controversy erupted after Valtonen, on an official OSCE visit, met with Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili before addressing protesters blocking Rustaveli Avenue outside the Georgian Parliament. In a video posted to X, she expressed solidarity: "Peaceful protesters have gathered in front of the Parliament Building in Tbilisi, Georgia, to voice their concern over the repressive direction of their country. They have every right to democracy, to freedom of expression and basic human rights. We are here to support them."

Protesters, marking the 321st day of demonstrations, seek snap parliamentary elections to oust the Georgian Dream-led government, citing restrictive "foreign agents" laws, frozen NGO accounts, and the detention of opposition leaders.

By Khagan Isayev