Finnish Foreign Minister fined $1,800 for attending Georgia protests
The Georgian Interior Ministry imposed a $1,800 fine on Finnish Foreign Minister and current OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for "blocking the road" following her appearance at a protest hotspot in Tbilisi.
It came after Valtonen posted a clip from Tbilisi’s central thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue, expressing her support for pro-democracy demonstrators, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
The fine, issued under Article 174¹ (5) of Georgia’s Administrative Offenses Code, accuses Valtonen of “artificial obstruction of a public road.” It remains unclear whether she paid the fine before departing the country.
Valtonen was in Tbilisi on Oct. 14-15 as part of an official visit in her OSCE role. After meeting Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, she joined demonstrators outside the Parliament building.
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