Georgian President dismisses British sanctions against TV channels Imedi, POSTV as “smile-inducing”

Georgian president Mikheil Kavelashvili on Tuesday dismissed recent British sanctions against Georgian television channels Imedi and POSTV, calling the move “smile-inducing”.

In his interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, Kavelashvili argued that the sanctions were a continuation of external pressure exerted on Georgia since the start of the war in Ukraine, suggesting that no citizen in Georgia would take the measures seriously.

“As for the idea that Imedi and POSTV were damaging sentiments in Ukraine and creating chaos as a result - I don’t even know what to compare that to. On one hand, we meet this with a smile, but on the other, we know exactly why they are doing it. This is a continuation of the chain that has been directed at our state, state institutions, the government, ordinary citizens, and our overall national interest since the start of the war in Ukraine. This is just one component of it; because these TV stations are quite popular and trusted by our society, [they] thought long and hard before taking this step”, the president said.

He further added that the majority of Georgian citizens understands the reasons behind the sanctions and is prepared for such steps, though he stressed that a response is necessary.

“We can all see how the media landscape operates here today; Imedi TV is one of the leading TV stations, and POSTV, along with others, is also gaining ratings. When a foreign government sanctions media companies operating in Georgia, it is a continuation of exactly what we’ve discussed. I believe our society is so well-informed that they aren't surprised, yet a reaction is necessary - a response must be given. We know why this is being done. The main thing is that the majority of Georgia's population understands why all of this is happening and is prepared for such steps. The BBC film served the same purpose: to incite unrest here and mislead our citizens. This process is ongoing; we should not be surprised”, he concluded.