Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream Party, has canceled a scheduled meeting with Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, who currently serves as the acting chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
In a statement released on Oct. 15, the Georgian government said the decision was made because Valtonen “participated in an illegal rally and made false statements.” The rally in question was a peaceful protest outside Georgia’s parliament in Tbilisi, where demonstrators gathered to express opposition to the government’s increasingly authoritarian course.
Valtonen arrived in Georgia on Oct. 14 and met with Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili. After the meeting, she visited protesters gathered in front of the parliament and posted a short video on X.
“I’m in Tbilisi, in front of the parliament building. There’s a peaceful demonstration is gathering here slowly. A lot of people coming here, waving the flags of the European Union, of NATO, apparently also the Finnish flag, but most importantly the Georgian flags,” Valtonen said in her post.
“The reason is that these people are concerned about the direction that this country has been taking – taking away the basic liberties of people, starting the freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly. Needless to say, these people deserve all these rights and we are here to support them.”
During her visit, Valtonen also met with representatives of Georgia’s civil society and independent media, saying that “The space for civil society and free media in Georgia is shrinking at a worrying pace.” She reaffirmed Finland’s full support for Georgia’s democratic aspirations and its path toward Europe.
At a press conference following her meeting at the Foreign Ministry, the Finnish diplomat said she had conveyed to her Georgian counterpart the OSCE’s “grave concern” over the country’s democratic backsliding, citing restrictive legislation, frozen NGO bank accounts, and the detention of almost all major opposition leaders. She called for “free, fair, and proportionate legal procedures for everyone detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly.”
Despite the cancellation of her meeting with Kobakhidze, Valtonen is scheduled to visit the Russian occupation line before leaving Georgia later on Oct. 15.
Growing rift with the West
The diplomatic incident highlights the deepening rift between the ruling Georgian Dream government and its Western partners. In recent months, the government has faced mounting criticism over its controversial “foreign agents” law, which mirrors Russian legislation used to silence independent media and NGOs. Critics say the law is part of a broader campaign to weaken civil society and consolidate power ahead of next elections.
Western officials, including those from the EU and the United States, have repeatedly warned that Tbilisi’s current trajectory threatens to derail Georgia’s path toward EU and NATO integration – goals long supported by a large majority of Georgian citizens.
Analysts note that the government’s rhetoric and actions increasingly echo those of Moscow, from attacks on Western-funded NGOs to attempts to discredit the opposition as “foreign-influenced.” The cancellation of a meeting with Finland’s foreign minister – a senior OSCE figure – is seen by many as another sign that Georgia’s leadership is distancing itself from democratic allies and edging closer to Russia’s orbit.