Attack on media freedom: European Parliament bans Imedi TV for one year - Moldova denies accreditation to three Georgian broadcasters

Concerns over media freedom and equal access for journalists have intensified after Georgian broadcasters faced restrictive decisions from both Moldova and the European Parliament.

Due to an unexplained accreditation refusal, Georgian television channels Imedi, Rustavi 2 and POSTV will not be able to cover the 135th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, where Georgia’s foreign minister is also expected to participate.

The broadcasters requested clarification from Moldovan authorities regarding the reasons behind the decision. In response, Moldova’s ministry of foreign affairs stated that accreditation requests for the Council of Europe ministerial session had been reviewed by the competent authorities in accordance with national legislation and regulations governing the accreditation of foreign journalists in Moldova.

“The accreditation process includes a standard assessment procedure for all applicants. Following this review, your request was not confirmed”, the ministry stated, adding that it could not provide further comments regarding individual accreditation assessments or internal review procedures.

Imedi TV has also contacted the Council of Europe, asking whether the organisation plans to examine the issue and whether Moldova’s actions could be considered an attack on an independent media outlet and an obstruction of journalistic activity. As of now, the broadcaster says it has not received a response.

At the same time, Imedi TV recently received an official letter from the European Parliament informing the channel that it has been banned from operating inside the institution for one year.

According to the broadcaster, the decision was linked to a report aired on the programme Imedi Week and an attempt to interview Lithuanian MEP Rasa Juknevičienė. The channel also believes the decision may be connected to objections raised by Czech MEP Markéta Gregorová regarding the presence of an Imedi TV camera crew inside the European Parliament.

Following an official warning issued on April 22, Imedi TV says it formally requested additional clarification regarding which specific rules had allegedly been violated by its journalists. However, the broadcaster claims it received no explanation before being informed of the one-year restriction.

In a letter responding to the decision, Imedi TV stated that it remains unclear what exact actions were considered inconsistent with parliamentary rules and what standards the journalists were expected to follow in the situation.

The broadcaster also questioned the proportionality of the sanction, arguing that a one-year restriction is an exceptionally severe measure that significantly limits the media’s ability to cover the work of the European Parliament.

“As a media organisation, we fulfill the function of delivering information of public importance to society. Coverage of the European Parliament is a matter of high public interest, and prolonged restrictions on journalistic access affect not only the operation of a specific media outlet, but also the public’s ability to receive timely and comprehensive information about the work of European democratic institutions”, the statement said.