Elina Valtonen, current Chair of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) and Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited Rustaveli Avenue with members of her delegation and met with participants of the ongoing pro-European protests.

Valtonen arrived in Georgia as part of an official visit to the South Caucasus, and she is also scheduled to hold meetings in Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In addition to representatives of civil society, Valtonen met with leaders of Georgian Dream, including Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili.

Valtonen shared a video of the visit on X.

“I’m flying to Vilnius for the European People’s Party (EPP) political assembly. I was stopped at the border in Tbilisi Airport and not allowed to leave. After a long wait, I was referred to another officer at a different location, who — after keeping me waiting again — told me: ‘You have a fine, you know that, right?’ One fine I knew about, and the other was from April, which the regime suddenly remembered at the border in October, even though I will have left the country at least 6–7 times in the past two months for purposes of non-recognition, delegitimization, and sanctioning of the Ivanishvili regime.

In short, they deliberately delay me so that boarding ends, the final announcement is made, and the police arrive. I explained that they were unlawfully restricting my freedom. I started filming; they hesitated, said, ‘Okay, okay,’ and eventually let me go.

Alongside banning parties and individuals, the regime is also considering restricting the right to leave the country and is already testing measures in this direction. As Moldova and Ukraine move rapidly toward EU membership, and possibly Armenia may also seek candidate status, Georgia’s borders could soon be closed off like an iron curtain, and we could find ourselves in a full dictatorship.

Should we continue public shaming, nitpicking, and criticism — or should we coordinate with those of us who are actively resisting the regime? For me, this is currently the only relevant question. Will we unite? — We will succeed. And very soon. Right? Otherwise, a dictatorship will take hold, and soon we may no longer be able to leave the country — or if we do, it may be forever.”

— Tina Bokuchava, social media post