Georgians living under ‘growing oppression’, Finland’s FM

Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has said that people in Georgia are living under “growing oppression”, expressing concern over recent legislation affecting civil society.

Valtonen said the latest law restricting funding for civil organisations represented another step in the wrong direction and limited citizens’ freedoms.

“The Georgian people are unfortunately living under increasing oppression,” she said. “The latest law banning funding for civil organisations and restricting people’s freedoms is another step in the wrong direction.”

She added that she expected mechanisms within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), including the Moscow Mechanism, to produce appropriate results.