Ruling party MP: attacks on Georgian media lack any substantive basis

Irakli Kirtskhalia, leader of the parliamentary majority, said on Wednesday that “recent attacks on independent Georgian media” were “entirely unfounded” and serve political objectives rather than genuine journalistic critique, following the UK recent sanctions on Imedi and POSTV.

Speaking during a plenary session of the Parliament, Kirtskhalia claimed neither the UK nor its embassy in Georgia offered any substantive evidence to justify sanctions imposed on the Georgian broadcasters.

“Attacks on free Georgian media clearly have no in-depth analysis behind them,” Kirtskhalia said. He described as “absurd” the allegation that Georgian television channels were destabilizing Ukraine or threatening its territorial integrity, emphasizing that such claims ignored the channels’ journalistic record.

Kirtskhalia also criticized Boris Johnson’s remarks, highlighting his past role in “urging Ukraine to continue fighting rather than negotiating peace during the Istanbul talks, despite the lack of any realistic NATO membership prospects” for Ukraine at the time.

 “It is no coincidence that a figure like Boris Johnson, a known advocate of war, appears in the Georgian context as a so-called authority on our media,” Kirtskhalia said.

The lawmaker contrasted the media attack with domestic realities, citing the country’s ongoing economic challenges, rising crime, migration issues, and enforcement against conservative content on social media, which he said further undermines the credibility of foreign criticism.

Kirtskhalia concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to defending Georgia’s sovereignty and statehood: “As a responsible government, we will continue to fight for peace and our sovereignty. We will not retreat nor kneel before any enemy of Georgia’s statehood.”