“The fundamental right to freedom of the media for any TV company in Georgia, whether Imedi or PosTV, will not be violated,” stated Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in response to a journalist’s question.

When asked about the continuation of cooperation between state-owned companies and Imedi and PosTV under British sanctions, the Prime Minister emphasised that both public and private entities should continue working with these broadcasters.

“You seem to believe that Georgia’s fundamental media rights will be infringed. Let me be clear: no TV company in Georgia, neither Imedi nor PosTV, will have its right to freedom of the media violated. All state and private companies should, of course, maintain cooperation with these broadcasters. Do not hope that the basic rights to media freedom and entrepreneurship will be compromised here. These rights were severely undermined by your party before 2012.

Your party trampled on both media freedom and entrepreneurial rights. If you expect to resume those actions now, you will be disappointed. We will ensure that both fundamental rights are protected, rights that your government most egregiously violated. I recall your agitation in recent years—2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026—and your hope that everything in this country would be damaged. But nothing was ever destroyed.

Do not count on it. We care about you, but even more so about Imedi and PosTV. Our care is demonstrated by the fact that, unlike before 2012, Georgia now guarantees basic media freedom and pluralism, something that was entirely absent before 2012. That is how we show our commitment to the media,” Kobakhidze concluded.