Georgia sends protest note to OSCE Secretariat, accuses Chair Valtonen of overstepping mandate during Tbilisi visit

Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged a formal protest with the OSCE Secretariat and participating states, accusing the organization’s Chairperson-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, of exceeding her official mandate during her recent visit to Tbilisi.

In its diplomatic note, the ministry said Valtonen took part in a street protest organized by “a small group of anti-government activists,” describing the move as an “unfriendly act” and a violation of diplomatic norms. The ministry argued that her public remarks “misrepresented the situation in Georgia” and amounted to “an attempt to mislead the international community.”

The foreign office further claimed that Valtonen’s appearance at the demonstration fell outside the scope of her official programme, which had included meetings with Georgian officials, a visit to the occupation line, and consultations with civil society groups.

Tbilisi said the Finnish minister’s actions “undermine trust in the OSCE Chair’s neutrality” and “contradict the principles of sovereignty and non-interference” set out in the Helsinki Final Act and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The Georgian government added that such conduct “damages the spirit of cooperation” within the OSCE framework.