Tea Tsulukiani, former Minister of Culture and Sports, has disclosed a startling encounter with a European Union ambassador that occurred shortly after her appointment.

“Soon after I was appointed Minister of Culture, the ambassador of a major EU country summoned me. They produced a small piece of paper and said, ‘I expect you to fund the individuals on this list,'” Tsulukiani recounted speaking on Imedi TV.

Tsulukiani emphasized that if a Georgian ambassador attempted such an action in any foreign country, they would be immediately declared persona non grata.

“This happened in March or April 2021, before the unprecedented attacks our country now faces from external sources began,” Tsulukiani explained.

“The ambassador, who was not from France, congratulated me on my appointment but expressed having an issue with me. They pulled out a small paper from their chest pocket, unfolded it, and stated their expectation that I would fund the people on the list,” the former minister recalled.

Tsulukiani described the list as very short, containing names of individuals who have been vocal critics of her leadership and the Georgian Dream party.

“I explained that this approach was untenable because Georgian culture extends far beyond these five or six individuals. When I pointed out that the list didn’t include anyone representing Georgian polyphonic singing, for instance, the ambassador became audacious and remarked, ‘You talk too much about Georgia’s regions. I want you to understand that Georgia is not just a village,'” Tsulukiani said.

Tsulukiani recounted how the conversation grew tenser.

“I steered the dialogue to a conclusion, explaining that Georgia encompasses both villages and the capital and that this ministry serves everyone. I’m sharing this to illustrate our starting point – the Ministry of Culture was expected to be held hostage by a single group, and we’ve liberated ourselves from that expectation,” the ex-minister has said.

“If any Georgian ambassador dared to do the same in any country, they would be declared persona non grata the very next day, and rightly so. This is precisely what the Vienna Convention addresses, outlining the rules of conduct for diplomats in their host countries, which were clearly violated in this instance,” she added.