Intervention in Georgia's internal affairs
Session: 15th Estonian Parliament, 4th sitting, press briefing
Date: 2024-12-18 14:30
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 17
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 20m
AI Summaries: 17/17 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Member of the Riigikogu Varro Vooglaid submitted an inquiry to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna regarding Estonia’s intervention in Georgia’s internal affairs. Vooglaid accused the minister of systematically damaging Estonian-Georgian relations, citing the imposition of sanctions on Georgian politicians and the minister’s participation in opposition rallies in Tbilisi. Vooglaid emphasized that such actions violate the principle of diplomatic relations under the Vienna Convention, which prohibits intervention in the internal affairs of other countries, and found the Georgian government’s commentary about Estonia’s “Soviet mentality” to be entirely appropriate. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Tsahkna categorically rejected the accusations, calling Vooglaid’s arguments "Kremlin talking points." Tsahkna explained that Estonia supports the desire of the Georgian people to move towards the European Union and that the sanctions are targeted at an undemocratic regime that uses violence, torture, and unlawful force against its peaceful demonstrators. Tsahkna emphasized that Estonia’s duty is to support the Georgian people in their fight for freedom. Lauri Laats posed an additional question, criticizing the minister’s rhetoric in labeling a member of parliament as Kremlin-aligned and arguing that the situation in Georgia is not black and white. The debate ended with Vooglaid’s procedural protest against the session chairman, as the minister had avoided answering questions about evidence regarding the Vienna Convention and the undemocratic nature of Georgian elections, focusing instead on personal insults. The session chairman refused to intervene in the political debate.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made.
Most Active Speaker
Varro Vooglaid was the most active speaker, presenting the initial question, a clarifying question, and two procedural objections to the session chairman. His position was critical regarding the government's foreign policy (other).
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Riigikogu is debating today, in its third question, about interference in Georgia's internal affairs. The question was posed by Varro Vooglaid to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid criticizes the Estonian government's interference in Georgia's internal affairs and its sanctions, and asks why these steps damage Estonia–Georgia relations and violate international customary law and the Vienna Convention principle.
Välisminister Margus Tsahkna
AI Summary
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that Estonia will provide firm support to the Georgian people's right to determine their own future, and will respond to the Georgian government's undemocratic actions and violence directed at the people in accordance with international law, including those responsible for imposing entry bans, and clearly states that support for Georgia's path to the European Union is ongoing.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanks and asks Varro Vooglaid to pose a clarifying question.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid emphasizes that Georgia must decide its own future through democratic elections and must not be forced to accept the conditions for joining a grand alliance or the European Union, and asks for concrete evidence to support the claim that Georgia's elections were undemocratic.
Välisminister Margus Tsahkna
AI Summary
The foreign minister said that the spread of narratives associated with the Kremlin must be stopped, affirmed the Georgian people's strong desire to join the European Union, and stressed that, in the name of democracy and truth, one must stand up to lies and support the Georgian people's struggle for freedom.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Hussar thanks and announces that he will first take Lauri Laatsi's supplementary question, and afterwards we will deal with the procedural matter.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats criticized the government's rhetoric, which labels critics as pro-Kremlin, stressed the complexity of Georgia's situation, and said that although steering Georgia toward the European Union is important, it must be done using the right tools, not simply opening the door.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
This is a short message that says that your time has come.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Diplomacy must come first, and we must act in such a way that they do not develop a contrary sentiment, because Europe does not want them and we do not want to deal with them.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The speaker gives thanks and turns to the minister with a request.
Välisminister Margus Tsahkna
AI Summary
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna expressed astonishment and solidarity with the Georgian people, urged people to visit Georgia and listen to locals before making judgments, emphasized that peaceful protest is a fundamental freedom and the use of violence is criminal, affirmed Estonia's commitment to Georgia's development and to continuing the European Union path, and criticized the Georgian government's policies, noting that Estonia will not allow the incomes of responsible people to be restricted and that we must support the Georgian people and maintain a special historical relationship between the two peoples.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanks the assembly, ends the consideration of the third question, and before discussing the fourth question, asks Varro Vooglaid, with his hand raised, to pose a question about the procedures for conducting the meeting.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid protests against the board's conduct, accuses it of turning a blind eye to the misbehavior of his friend and party colleague, presents two concrete questions about interference in Georgia's internal affairs and about the undemocratic nature of the elections, and states that he did not receive any answers, criticizes the foreign minister's presentation of Kremlin narratives, and emphasizes that the protests are not peaceful and show signs of foreign interference, and that where interference should occur, the leaders do not do so.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar said that as the chair of the meeting he would not interfere in the discussion or force respondents to give answers, and that there are additional questions and possibilities for parliamentary oversight, he emphasized the importance of a respectful debate and a better political culture, and noted that a too-long discussion could prevent the Estonia–Georgia relations issue from reaching the eighth question.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid asks, as the Speaker of the Riigikogu, whether it belongs to the culture of this chamber that representatives of the Government of the Republic accuse Riigikogu members without justification of transmitting Kremlin narratives, and the Speaker does not intervene.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
As the chair of the meeting, he does not interfere in the discussion nor comment on Kremlin narratives, and on matters of political culture and mutual respect he has already answered in his previous response.