Georgian PM accuses European Parliament of disregarding media freedom, compares it to Supreme Soviet of Soviet Union

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday sharply criticised the European Parliament, accusing it of disregarding media freedom and comparing the institution to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.

Speaking to journalists, Kobakhidze said that media freedom “means nothing” to the European Parliament and accused European institutions of “practically losing their face”.

“We see that European bodies are practically losing their face completely. Media freedom means nothing to them. What was started by Britain has now been continued by the European Parliament. This is completely shameful; the decision they made does not fit into any standards. Media freedom is worth nothing to the European Parliament. The European Parliament has come to resemble the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. What we are seeing is a tragic situation. I hope that all of this will be rectified in the near future”, he said.

“The approach being demonstrated by specific European politicians is absolutely Soviet. It is no surprise to us that the specific politicians coming forward with such initiatives enjoy a very dubious reputation; they have a questionable past. What we are witnessing in the European Parliament speaks to a total degradation”, Kobakhidze concluded.

The European Parliament recently restricted Imedi TV from performing its professional duties within the parliament building for a period of one year. This new revelation suggests that the decision was the culmination of a coordinated, months-long effort involving European politicians and local opposition-linked actors.