Georgian PM links direct political debates with opposition to Government transparency and media freedom

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday strongly defended the state of media freedom in Georgia, contrasting its vibrant media pluralism with severe restrictions in Moldova and pointing to his own participation in televised debates as proof of his Government’s unprecedented openness.

Speaking during a live debate broadcast on Rustavi 2, the head of Government highlighted that while talking about media freedom, one must look at the facts. He noted that Moldova has shut down 12 television channels, leaving the country with only State Television 1 and State Television 2. In sharp contrast, Kobakhidze asserted that Georgia enjoys genuine media pluralism where television stations broadcast whatever they want, and complete freedom of expression is fully guaranteed.

The Prime Minister emphasised that it was his government’s initiative to open up debates on leading television networks.

Challenging his critics, Kobakhidze stated that outside of Moldova and Ukraine, one cannot name a single nation among the 27 European Union member states where a Prime Minister sits down for direct debates with the opposition. He stated that this reality demonstrates exactly how open the current Georgian administration is, as well as the high level of media freedom in the country.

Addressing criticisms from international bodies, the Prime Minister argued that organisations and entities such as PACE, OGP, the Socialist Party, and OECD have been directly used as tools to blackmail the Georgian people. Kobakhidze concluded by urging his political opponents to debate using concrete facts and data rather than relying on abstract generalisations.