TV Imedi is responding to the sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom. In a statement released by the channel, they declare that the British government's decision carries "no value" to them.
The television station believes that, amidst the sanctions, what matters most is the "trust of the Georgian people," which is why the channel remains a ratings leader.
The issue stems from today, February 24, when Great Britain sanctioned "Teleimedi" and "POSTV." The explanation for the sanctions states that the channels were targeted for spreading Russian disinformation.
The sanctions include: Freezing of assets; Ban on trust services; Sanctions involving the removal (disqualification) of directorial authority.Full Statement from TV Imedi (via bm.ge):
"As it has become known, the government of Great Britain has made a decision to impose sanctions on TV Imedi. For more than 22 years, TV Imedi has served Georgia and the freedom of speech in our country. TV Imedi did not back down even when a criminal regime ruled Georgia, exposing all its vices, which eventually culminated in the invasion and seizure of the station.We would like to remind everyone that at the time of the seizure of TV Imedi, the British government did not even express general concern. Moreover, even after 2007, the British government continued to express support for the criminal regime that was trampling on democracy, human rights, and freedom of speech in Georgia.
Against this backdrop, British sanctions carry no value. The only valuable evaluation for TV Imedi is the trust of the Georgian people. Thanks to this trust, for many years, we have firmly maintained our status as the highest-rated television station in Georgia. Consequently, we will continue to act with high responsibility before Georgian society in the future, and TV Imedi will continue to serve Georgia and the freedom of speech even more energetically, in order to fully justify the trust placed in us by the Georgian public."
