Board Members Rush to Leave Imedi as UK-Sanctioned Broadcasters Face Chaos

2026-02-26 - 08:06

Four out of five members of the supervisory board of pro-government Imedi TV, including former owner Irakli Rukhadze, left their positions a day after the UK announced sanctioning the channel over “Russian disinformation.” Rukhadze, as well as Giorgi Bakhtadze, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, and Davit Shonia, requested expedited approval of their resignations on February 25, citing an earlier change in ownership. Georgia’s public registry approved their requests later on the same day, leaving Mariam (Maka) Lomidzе, who also serves as director, as the sole remaining board member. Lomidze became Imedi’s shareholder earlier in February, when Rukhadze, a businessman and longtime owner, stated about selling his shares to be split evenly between Imedi’s partner company Prime Media Global and the channel’s management. It soon emerged that Rukhadze sold his shares for a symbolic price of GEL 1,000 (approximately USD 370). The UK sanctioned Imedi and POSTV, another pro-government channel, on February 24, for spreading “deliberately misleading information” about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that “destabilizes” Ukraine or “undermines or threatens” the country’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, or independence. The measures include an asset freeze, trust services sanctions, and director disqualification sanctions. While there is no clear agreement on how much the UK sanctions will affect the broadcasters, the two channels appear to be facing chaos and uncertainty on how to proceed. Imedi TV’s websites were inaccessible for more than an hour on the evening of February 25 before coming back online. Early on February 25, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze pledged that the government would take “full responsibility” for the press freedoms of journalists at Imedi and POSTV to be “protected.” He also said that “all state and nonstate companies should naturally continue cooperating with both [TV] companies,” amid suggestions from observers that it may be risky for businesses to cooperate with sanctioned channels, including through advertising deals. Imedi TV alone received GEL 45 million (about usd 17 million) in ad revenue in 2025, roughly 45% of the total revenue for TV channels, ranking first among broadcasters in what critics see as uneven distribution of advertising funds. In parallel, experts have suggested that the channels may encounter serious banking problems, particularly with TBC and Bank of Georgia, Georgia’s two major commercial banks listed on the London Stock Exchange, adding that other banks may also refrain from cooperation due to indirect risks associated with international transactions. On February 25, Imedi cited Natia Turnava, head of the National Bank of Georgia, widely seen as the GD government loyalist, as saying that the activities of Georgia’s commercial banks are “subject to the Constitution of Georgia and national legislation,” and in case of conflict with another jurisdiction, banks “are obliged to act in accordance with the norms established by the [Georgian] Constitution and legislation.” Also on February 25, two new limited liability companies – “Supporters of Imedi” and “Supporters of POSTV” were registered by Georgia’s Public Registry, fueling speculations that the managers of two channels may use proxy companies to bypass restrictions. Also Read: 03/10/2025 – Watchdogs: Ivanishvili-linked Lenders Shield Pro-Government TV Channels from Bankruptcy