Georgian Parliament official says Finnish FM has violated all moral, ethical norms by joining protest rally in Tbilisi

Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday said the visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen had violated all moral and ethical norms by joining demonstrators on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi.

Elina Valtonen, the Finnish Foreign Minister and Chair of the OSCE, visited Rustaveli Avenue on Tuesday to speak with participants gathered outside the Parliament building. She also posted on social media in support of the demonstrators, calling them “peaceful protesters gathered to express concern over the country’s repressive policies”.

In his remarks, Samkharadze praised the Georgian Prime Minister for canceling a scheduled meeting with the Finnish Minister.

“The Finnish Foreign Minister violated all moral and ethical norms. This is not about diplomacy and bilateral relations. She came to a protest rally and stood there with about 50 people, including on the blocked Rustaveli Avenue, and said that apparently freedom of expression is being restricted in Georgia. She herself was on the avenue where freedom of expression may be exercised at a level that might not even exist in Helsinki. In Finland, 50 people cannot block a main street, and there are many examples of that. This was an unfriendly act, but even more shameful was her statement. The Prime Minister made the right decision by canceling the meeting, and I welcome that”, the Parliament official said.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday canceled a scheduled meeting with Finland’s visiting Foreign Minister due to her participation in an illegal rally and false statements made on Tuesday.