OSCE Chair Valtonen: commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity ‘remains firm’

Finland’s Foreign Minister and current OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Elina Valtonen, on Thursday reaffirmed support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during her address at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna.

“Our commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity remains firm,” Valtonen said, noting that progress has been made through the Geneva International Discussions and the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism, alongside increased engagement with civil society.

She added that her recent visit to Georgia also focused on concerns over democratic backsliding.

“My visit to Georgia also addressed democratic regression, the essential role of civil society and people’s freedoms,” Valtonen stated.