Ex-official slams UK over sanctions, calls Gov’t to take legal action

Kakhi Kakhiashvili, the former official and lawmaker under the Georgian Dream leadership, has criticised the United Kingdom for imposing sanctions on Georgian media outlets, describing it as “laughable” that a country known for media propaganda and manipulation of facts was dictating terms for another nation’s media.

Writing on social media on Wednesday, Kakhiashvili called on the Georgian government to take firm legal measures against those enforcing sanctions, including summoning ambassadors if necessary, describing this as a “final warning.”

He argued that sanctions previously applied to Georgian police officers and public officials deprived them of salaries, banking services, healthcare, and other vital services, and criticised the delayed legal response to these cases. He warned that if no immediate legal action was taken now, sanctions could spread to businesses, key industries such as oil and manganese, and other enterprises critical to Georgia’s economy.

Kakhiashvili also questioned the motives of opposition figures who allegedly supported sanctions on Georgian companies, suggesting that such actions risked serving foreign interests rather than national priorities.

Highlighting perceived “double standards”, he referred to a UK court decision in which a prince accused of state treason, pedophilia, and corruption reportedly received only a minor penalty, adding: “It is laughable that Britain, whose media worldwide carry out propaganda assignments, now comments on another country’s media.”