Georgia fines Finnish Foreign Minister nearly $2,000

Georgian authorities have penalized Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen with a 5,000 lari fine (approximately $1,800) for obstructing traffic during an opposition rally in central Tbilisi on October 14, according to local media reports. 

Under Georgian legislation, blocking public roads is a finable offense.

There is no information yet whether Finland's Foreign Minister has received formal notification of the violation or has settled the penalty.

The Georgian government previously submitted a formal protest to the OSCE concerning Valtonen's participation in the demonstration and her critical remarks about Georgian authorities.