Georgian Parliament Speaker: 105 years ago, Russia attacked free Georgian state - on 105th anniversary, Britain attacked free Georgian media
Politics
Shalva Papuashvili
Photo: Parliament of Georgia
Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday commented on the decision of the UK authorities to impose sanctions on Imedi TV and POSTV, claiming that Russia attacked the free Georgian state 105 years ago, and on the 105th anniversary Britain attacked free Georgian media.
In his remarks, Papuashvili noted that Imedi TV was a television channel trusted by 40 percent of Georgia’s population, which is why there was an attempt to silence “the truth”.
“Russia attacked Georgia 105 years ago because it did not like our state and wanted to stop its existence, while Britain has attacked free Georgian media in order to suppress free speech”, the speaker said.
“I will not even comment on the explanation they offered - absolute nonsense. How can it be unacceptable that a television channel said Ukraine is a corrupt state? It is not just corrupt, it is extremely corrupt. As for the motives, disinformation clearly does not concern Britain at all”, he continued.
Papushvili further claimed that individuals linked to Georgian opposition media operated from the UK, alleging that David Kezerashvili, whom he described as the owner of Formula TV, and Mamuka Khazaradze, whom he called a financier of TV Pirveli, are based there.
Papuashvili also alleged that Britain had recently planned to finance the party-affiliated outlet Tabula.
“There are no values. I think the modern world has already shown us this. The Americans have shown us most clearly the true face of Europeans and the British - all the falsehood and hypocrisy of those who claim to stand on values”, he said, alleging that thousands of people in the UK have been detained over comments they made.
“When Britain fights the truth, this is the best illustration of what we are dealing with”, the speaker added.
Papuashvili concluded that the actions currently being used by the UK against Georgia constituted elements of a hybrid warfare tactic.
