New Director General says Rustavi 2 faces financial problems
Paata Salia replaced Nika Gvaramia as the director general of Rustav 2 on July 19. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Paata Salia, the new director general of Rustavi 2, says the channel has certain financial problems.
After meeting with the staff of Rustavi 2, Salia said the channel’s financial situation was ‘worse than expected.’
The fact that there are financial problems is not new, I guess... But the financial conditions on the channel are worse than expected”, Salia stated.
He said it is important to find ways to “solve the financial problems”.
He also noted that by the end of the month the team will receive their salaries as they did it before.
Photo: Agenda.ge/Nino Alavidze
- The Georgian Public Registry Agency registered the shares of Rustavi 2 in the name of its former owner Kibar Khalvashi after the ECHR verdict.
- The ECHR ruling of July 18 effectively allowed the return of 100 per cent of the channel’s shares to its former owner Kibar Khalvashi, who argued that Rustavi 2 was illegally seized from him by the former United National Movement (UNM) government in 2006
- Paata Salia, who is also the lawyer of the new owner of Rustavi 2, Kibar Khalvashi, replaced Nika Gvaramia as the director general of Rustavi 2, promising not to interfere in the channel’s editorial policy.
- Former director general of Rustavi 2 Nika Gvaramia said the verdict “was shocking and absolutely unimaginable".
The United States Embassy in Georgia said the recent ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the Rustavi 2 ownership dispute should be implemented “in a manner that is fair, apolitical, and allows for a multitude of opinions to be represented in the media.” "Freedom of speech and a media landscape representative of a plurality of views are foundations of democracy”, the US Embassy said.
Georgian former Defence Minister under the United National Movement leadership Irakli Okruashvili has addressed Tbilisi City Court to freeze Rustavi 2 shares, which were yesterday returned to his former ally and friend Kibar Khalvashi.
Former owner of Rustavi 2 Kibar Khalvashi has stated that the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights on Rustavi 2 has dispelled all doubts regarding the channel’s ownership, confirming that the ‘only lawful owner of the TV is me.’ He said that he has no plans to get involved in the editorial policy of the channel,
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has released its verdict on the Rustavi 2 private broadcaster’s ownership dispute earlier today, upholding the verdicts of Georgian courts on the case.Rustavi 2 and its current owners earlier filed with the ECHR as plaintiffs, claiming that the Georgian Court of Appeals and Supreme Court had delivered unfair verdicts.
Tbilisi City Court has denied a request to freeze the shares of Rustavi 2 TV channel, as was demanded by ex-Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili, who says that he paid seven million USD to buy the media outlet back in 2004, when he served as Prosecutor General under the United National Movement leadership.
Former Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili says that he gave testimony in the Rustavi 2 case back in 2014 under the Georgian Dream leadership to have the support in the mayoral elections he ran. He said in the testimony in April 2014 that Rustavi 2 was illegally seized on the demand of ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili from its lawful owners and founders Jarji Akimidze and David Dvali in 2004.
The new owner of Rustavi 2 Kibar Khalvashi, who has been given 100 per cent of the shares of the television channel, has submitted his signature for examination to the Tbilisi Levan Samkharauli Forensic Bureau earlier today to end allegations of former Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili against him.
The former Director General of opposition-minded TV channel Rustavi 2, Nika Gvaramia, has been charged with abuse of power. The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office announced yesterday that due to Gvaramia’s actions Rustavi 2 suffered losses of 6,763,510 GEL (about $2,308,365/€2,062,045).
Bail has been set at 40,000 GEL for former director general of opposition-minded TV channel Rustavi 2, Nika Gvaramia, who stands accused of abuse of power during his time in the position. Gvaramia also has been banned from leaving the country without the consent of prosecutors, who earlier had demanded bail be set at 80,000 GEL.
The potential new Rustavi 2 CEO, Irakli Imnaishvili, says he wants to conclude contracts with TV channel employees to ensure editorial independence. This would be a first in Georgia’s media history – we would like to create a precedent of a well-planned editorial contract,” he said. Irakli Imnaishvili said 800 employees remain at Rustavi 2.