Media Freedom central to healthy democracy, US Ambassador says
Media Freedom central to healthy democracy, US Ambassador says

“Media freedom is an area that the United States Embassy has supported for 30 years, the entire period of diplomatic relations with Georgia, because it’s so central to a healthy democracy,” said US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan when speaking to journalists at the Tbilisi Forum for Regional Security in Black Sea.

Journalists asked the Ambassador to comment on the European Parliament resolution. Degnan said the US was not involved in such deliberations.

“I don’t have a comment on the European Parliament resolution. The United States is not involved in deliberations of the European Parliament or European parties, so I don’t have a comment on that.

Media freedom is an area that the United States Embassy has supported for 30 years—for our entire period of diplomatic relations here in Georgia—because it’s so central to a healthy democracy. It’s something that is enshrined in Georgia’s constitution and in the U.S. constitution.

Anything that weakens that or undermines that obviously is weakening the foundation of our democracies. That’s why we consider media freedom so very important and central to a healthy democracy,” Kelly Degnan said.