GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the decision to cancel his scheduled meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Elina Valtonen was made by the Georgian government, rejecting claims that the cancellation was due to Valtonen’s busy schedule. According to Kobakhidze, the cancellation followed Valtonen’s participation in what he described as an “illegal gathering” outside the Parliament of Georgia.
“We never seek confrontation; we are an independent but small country, and it is not in our interest to deepen disagreements with the European Union or its member states,” said Kobakhidze. “However, the Finnish Foreign Minister attended an illegal rally yesterday. The street was blocked by about 50 people, which is against the law, and she decided to join them. That became the basis for canceling the meeting,” he added.
Kobakhidze accused Valtonen of “lying” about the reason for the meeting’s cancellation and about the circumstances of the protest, claiming that her team had not informed the government of any scheduling conflicts. “We immediately made the decision to cancel the meeting. They had no communication with us about her busy schedule,” Kobakhidze stated, alleging that Valtonen “tried to justify” her participation afterward.
Kobakhidze also criticized Valtonen’s comments on social media in support of the demonstrators, calling them “hypocritical” and “harmful.” “It is unfortunate when European leaders, including the Finnish Foreign Minister, spread falsehoods and engage in such behavior. This shows the difficult situation within the European bureaucracy,” he said.
