Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maka Botchorishvili, stated that the British Ambassador Gareth Ward has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an explanation.

Speaking live on Rustavi 2 TV, the minister stressed that when sanctions are discussed, they must be underpinned by a very solid legal basis.

“We have been in communication with the British authorities. I anticipate the British Ambassador will visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. We will demand an explanation regarding the grounds for sanctions imposed on Georgian television stations. Aside from the issues surrounding freedom of speech and the standards associated with it, this is about media sanctions, which must be justified by very solid legal foundations,” said Maka Botchorishvili.

For context, the British government has sanctioned the Imedi and PosTV television companies.