MEP Rasa Juknevičienė declines to provide evidence for sanctions against Imedi TV, citing need for “preparation”

Lithuanian Member of the European Parliament Rasa Juknevičienė has declined to provide specific examples of disinformation to justify her calls for sanctioning the Georgian television station Imedi TV.

In an encounter with Imedi TV journalist Leo Sikharulidze outside her office, the MEP refused to answer direct questions regarding her legislative push to include Georgian TV channels in a sanctions regime. When asked why she is seeking sanctions against the broadcaster, Juknevičienė avoided the substance of the query.

“Why are you here, I cannot talk”, Juknevičienė told Imedi TV journalist when he approached her near her office.

When asked why she supports sanctions against Imedi TV, she responded: “No, I don’t have time now. Everyone requests interviews in advance, so please write to my assistants”.

Pressed on whether she was refusing to comment and what grounds she had for supporting sanctions against the broadcaster, she said: “No, of course, I need to prepare”.

Asked again to provide even a single example of alleged disinformation by Imedi, she replied: “Imedi TV is hunting me”.

The discussion comes after the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee supported the draft report and its amendments on Georgia. The document is expected to be placed on the agenda of the May 18-21 plenary session.

Juknevičienė has argued that Georgia does not meet candidate country criteria and has called for targeted personal sanctions. Some amendments also propose sanctions against three independent television broadcasters.