On January 27, TV company Imedi spread information on its Facebook pages claiming that Salome Zourabichvili proposed to the new U.S. administration to pressure Russia and use Georgia as a “playground” for this purpose. According to Imedi, an article with this content was published by the American outlet The Hill.
The same information was also disseminated by media outlets such as Newshub, Sezoni тν, მხარე • mkhare.ge, Media Holding “Kvira,” Marshalpress, Spnews • Agency Spaces, Radio Space FM 98.5, INFO9 news agency, Exclusive Media, Rezonansnews, and Facebook pages like Georgia’s Happiness, Politicians Starting from 1 Lari, and This is Politics.
A member of the Georgian Dream party, Nino Tsilosani, also shared The Hill article with the commentary that Georgia serves as a “playground” for Zourabichvili.
The excerpt from The Hill article about Salome Zourabichvili has been mistranslated. According to The Hill, Zourabichvili believes that the U.S. should resist Russia’s use of Georgia as a playground.
The information disseminated by Imedi and other media outlets is misleading and represents a mistranslation of The Hill article. The article itself discusses the visit of Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, to the U.S., her attendance at Donald Trump’s inauguration, and her meetings with Trump and members of the new U.S. administration. According to the article, one of Zourabichvili’s key messages is that the U.S. should remain active in the region; otherwise, this opens the door for Russia and China.
| The Hill | Translation by Imedi | Correct translation |
| Her message is that the U.S. should push back on Russia using Georgia “as a playground.” | Her [Zourabichvili’s] message is that the U.S. should put pressure on Russia and for that purpose use Georgia as a playground. | Her message is that the U.S. should resist Russia’s use of Georgia as a playground. |
Imedi’s translation is incorrect and completely alters the meaning of the sentence. Myth Detector also contacted the author of the article, who confirmed that they had learned about the incorrect translation. On January 27, the publication made a correction to the article, which made it even clearer that the term “playground” refers to Russia and not the U.S.
| The initial version of the article | The updated version of the article |
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Archive links: Imedi (1,2), Newshub, Sezoni тν, მხარე • mkhare.ge, მედიაჰოლდინგი “კვირა”, მარშალპრესი, Spnews • სააგენტო სივრცეები, რადიო სივრცე FM 98.5, საინფორმაციო სააგენტო INFO9, Exclusive Media, რეზონანსნიუსი, ნინო წილოსანი.
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