Georgian PM: Finnish FM joined unlawful rally, creating grounds for meeting cancellation

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen joined an unlawful rally outside the Georgian Parliament on Tuesday, which led to the cancellation of their planned meeting.

Speaking in an interview with Georgia’s First Channel, Kobakhidze stated that around 50 people had blocked the street “in violation of the law” and that Valtonen became “the 51st participant” in the gathering.

“She knew the rally was unlawful, yet she still decided to go there. By joining an illegal assembly, she herself created the reason for canceling today’s meeting”.

The Prime Minister added that Valtonen’s representatives had not communicated with the Georgian Government regarding her schedule.

“We never seek confrontation. We are a small but independent country, and it is not in our interest to deepen tensions with the EU or its member states. However, what happened yesterday changed everything,” Kobakhidze said.

He added Valtonen “knowingly attended” an unlawful gathering where protesters had blocked the street without the legally required number of participants.

Kobakhidze also accused the Finnish FM of “spreading falsehoods” about the protest.

“She lied by claiming the rally had just started and people were joining. Everyone knows it was already at its peak,” he said, calling it “disturbing” that a European leader would “resort to such deception”.

He concluded that the Government decided to cancel the meeting immediately after the Minister’s appearance at the rally.

“It is unimaginable that a European Union Foreign Minister would act this way. It reflects the very troubling state within parts of the European bureaucracy,” Kobakhidze said.