European Parliament Suspends Access for Pro-Government Imedi TV, Channel Says
The pro-government Imedi TV channel announced on May 13 that the European Parliament had suspended the channel’s accreditation and filming permits for a period of one year. The broadcaster further said that, in a separate development, Moldovan authorities also denied accreditation to three Georgian TV channels seeking to cover a Council of Europe meeting scheduled to take place in Chișinău.
In its May 13 TV report, Imedi aired what looked like a copy of a letter dated May 12 and signed by the Director of Media of the European Parliament’s Directorate General for Communication, addressed to Imedi’s Ana Chkhikvadze and informing the decision to “refuse all applications for accreditation and/or recording permit by yourself or media organisation you represent (Imedi TV) for a period of one year.”
The letter cites a complaint from an MEP and “thorough investigation” by the Parliament’s press services after the Imedi crew “approached and filmed the MEP concerned without prior consent” on May 6, with segments then aired in Imedi TV’s May 10 programme. The aired document further refers to the April 22 “formal warning” for a similar breach during the March plenary session.
Imedi’s May 10 report, titled “Beyond Democracy Facade” and aired as part of Imedis Kvira program, slams the critical draft report on Georgia that recently cleared committee vote at the European Parliament.
In the piece, the channel particularly focuses on one of the amendments to the EP report, which condemns the role of Imedi TV and PosTV, Georgian pro-governmental channels recently sanctioned by the UK, “in disseminating systematic disinformation and hostile propaganda against the EU, its institutions and representatives,” calling on EU institutions “to review the accreditation of such media outlets,” and encouraging EU Member States “to follow the United Kingdom’s example and adopt appropriate restrictive measures.”
The Imedis Kvira piece then shows the channel’s crew walking on the premises of the European Parliament and asking MEPs for clarification over the proposed amendment. That includes knocking on the office door of Lithuanian MEP Rasa Juknevičienė, who drafted the critical Parliament report, and trying to speak to her, then following her through the corridor as she refuses to speak and asks to agree on the interview with her assistants in advance, per the translation provided by the channel.
Moldova’s Rejection
Imedi also reported on May 13 that the Moldovan Foreign Ministry denied three Georgian channels, Imedi, Rustavi 2, and POSTV, accreditation to cover the 135th Session of the CoE Committee of Ministers, scheduled to take place in Chișinău on May 14-15. All three channels are pro-government outlets.
According to the copy of the letter aired by Imedi, the Ministry says that “the accreditation process includes a standard assessment procedure applicable to all applicants,” and that following the review, the channel’s request was not approved. The aired document further reads: “We respectfully note that we are not in a position to provide further comments regarding individual accreditation assessments or internal review procedures.”
Earlier, in September 2025, Imedi reported that its crew was denied entry to Moldova to cover the parliamentary elections.
Also Read:
- 16/04/2026 – Imedi Accuses Human Rights Advocate Igor Blaževič of Links with ‘Revolutionary Scenario’ in Georgia
- 26/02/2026 – Board Members Rush to Leave Imedi as UK-Sanctioned Broadcasters Face Chaos
- 06/02/2026 – Businessman Irakli Rukhadze Announces Selling Pro-Government Imedi Channel