Shareholder files lawsuit against Rustavi 2
Established in 1994, the broadcasting company changed ownership numerous times. Photo: Rustavi 2
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Nino Nizharadze, who inherited nine percent of shares of Rustavi 2 – one of the largest private companies in Georgia - from her husband Gogi Gegeshidze, is demanding 28 million GEL (about $10.3m/€9.2m).
Her lawyer Giorgi Kavlashvili explained that Nizharadze’s lawsuit is directed against the channel’s director Nika Gvaramia and the larger shareholders. The plaintiff is demanding compensation for damages she and Rustavi 2 suffered because of mismanagement.
Nino Nizharadze had a client who was buying her shares for about 1.5 million GEL (about $588.2m/€524.6m) and if the larger shareholders would not give their consent, other partners of Rustavi 2 were offered to buy the shares”, the lawyer said.
Kavlashvili also stated that neither Nizharadze was allowed to sell the shares, nor were other shareholders willing to buy them. Now, she is demanding 1.6 million GEL for personal damage and the rest for the TV company.
Position of Rustavi 2
Director of Rustavi 2 Nika Gvaramia believes this is the ruling party’s “new phase of attack” against the TV company and that the real reason of the lawsuit is to change the channel’s “editorial policy” and to abolish “the main oppositional channel”.
During his news briefing last night, Gvaramia offered Nizharadze to dismiss the lawsuit from the Georgian court and to file it in any international arbitration.
Let us argue in the court in which the both sides trust. We, Rustavi 2, do not trust the Georgian court”, he said urging that the TV company “will win this battle”.
The company's lawyer Tamta Muradashvili also stated that this lawsuit is “absurd” and politically motivated.
The ownership of Rustavi 2 has a very controversial history.
- Established in 1994, the broadcasting company changed ownership numerous times between 2004 and 2012.
- In March 2017 Georgia’s Supreme Court delivered a verdict in favor of Its former shareholder 2004-2006) Kibar Khalvashi, who had filed a lawsuit in 2015.
- Few days later the European Court of Human Rights suspended the enforcement of the Georgian Supreme Court’s verdict.
- Currently 91% of the TV company’s shares is owned by brothers Giorgi and Levan Karamanishvili.
The Government of Georgia believes the independence of Rustavi 2 – one of the country’s largest private broadcasting companies – will be guaranteed under the global new leadership of Kibar Khalvashi.
Georgia’s Supreme Court has delivered a verdict in the ownership case of one of Georgia’s largest TV channels, Rustavi 2.
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A statement made by the director of private broadcasting company Rustavi 2 TV, which has become the subject of a legal depute between its current and former owners two months ago, is causing a stir and gaining a range of assessments in Georgia.
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Founders of one of Georgia’s leading private broadcasters, Rustavi 2, David Dvali and Jarji Akimidze, who founded the channel with now deceased politician Erosi Kitsmarishvili in 1994, have asked for the continuation of the investigation around the ‘illegal seizure of the channel from lawful owners’ in 2004, under the United National Movement leadership.
The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office says that the investigation into the possibly illegal seizure of the Rustavi 2 private broadcaster under the United National Movement leadership in 2004 continues, despite the 15-year limitation period of the case expired on June 16.
Nino Nizharadze, a nine per cent shareholder of the opposition-minded Rustavi 2 channel, has addressed the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office to launch an investigation against the channel director, former Minister of Justice Nika Gvaramia.