The broadcasting company “Imedi TV” is releasing a statement regarding the ongoing protests.

“Calls for interference in the editorial policy of Imedi TV have been heard more and more frequently. Various opposition groups are calling on Imedi, often in the form of threats, to conduct its broadcasts differently.

Imedi TV is a private company, one of the main goals of which is providing an objective editorial policy, and therefore, maintaining high trust and ratings. The TV channel fulfills this task extremely well. High viewer trust has determined that over the past decade, Imedi TV has been the undisputed leader of the Georgian TV space.

It is precisely this high trust and ratings that are the main reasons why our opponents are increasingly eager to appear on Imedi TV. This trust and rating are also thanks to the fact that Imedi TV has an independent editorial policy, within the framework of which we decide who we will invite and we do not intend to change this fact.

Despite numerous discrediting, slanderous statements and insults, Imedi TV was, is and will be committed to Georgia’s European future.

We are proud of the role we played on Georgia’s path to Europe. Even when we were broadcasting the crimes of the authoritarian regime of the [United] National Movement against its citizens, which completely disregarded European values, and now, when we were introducing our viewers to the most important historical process for the country such as the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU, visa liberalisation, free trade and granting [the EU membership] candidate status. We are confident that the majority of Georgian citizens will also learn about Georgia’s accession to the EU from our broadcasts.

Attempts to humiliate the channel’s journalists, extremely offensive wording, sometimes attempts at physical violation, obstruction of broadcasting the ongoing protests on [Rustaveli] Avenue, a campaign to tarnish the image on social networks, and obstruction of journalistic activities by well-organised groups are nothing more than fighting a different opinion using Soviet, Bolshevik methods. This behavior has nothing to do with either Western democracy or the civilized world”, - reads the statement.