The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, who is on an official visit to Georgia, said on 14 October that the organisation condemns the detentions of opposition leaders “which are taking place as a result of inappropriate legal procedures”. She said this at a joint press conference with Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili.
“During our meeting, I expressed the serious concerns that OSCE participating States and our institutions have about the local situation, including restrictive legislation concerning civil society, media representatives and journalists, as well as issues related to democratic governance, recent events and circumstances restricting activities in Ukraine. engagement with civil society. It is essential that in any democratic system people are given the right to choose, and this applies to Georgia as well. The people of Georgia choose the future they want,” the OSCE Head stressed.
Maka Bochorishvili noted that her country is ready for a “meaningful, action-oriented dialogue with the European Union.”
“Georgia is a country committed to international rules and standards, which attaches great importance to mutual respect. Co-operation within international organisations is important to us and we reiterate our readiness to continue working within the framework of the independent OSCE institutions and the organisation as a whole,” Bochorishvili said.
The Georgian minister also indicated that she emphasised “the importance of the issue of occupation of Georgian territories on the OSCE agenda”.
Following the October 4 protests in Georgia, 23 participants were detained, including five members of the organising committee of the rally: Paata Manjgaladze, Paata Burchuladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze and Lasha Beridze. Judge Lela Maridashvili chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen is visiting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia from 13-15 October.