“Anybody who doubts media pluralism in Georgia has no knowledge or grasp of the country’s media landscape,” stated Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, responding to a question regarding the implementation of the EC’s recommendation for ensuring media pluralism.

Before 2012, there was no powerful and independent opposition TV channel, according to the Prime Minister. There are several TV stations nowadays, and “you, journalists here, represent major opposition outlets.”

“I read from your pathos that you are not really enthusiastic or interested in the country attaining candidate status. In your place, I would have asked what the government, opposition, and society might do to reduce the number of concerns. If we do something, we do it for our nation and its people, not only for the government,” he stated.

Irakli Garibashvili stressed that the government did its best in recent years by signing Association Agreement, Free Trade Agreement, visa-free regime and receiving European Perspective, which was “indeed a historic decision.”

“Status is a symbolic representation of all this, a symbolic recognition. So, let us wait,” the PM concluded.