Rustavi 2 founders say they will use all legal means to regain the channel
David Dvali (left) and Jarji Akimidze (right) spoke of the TV channel’s ownership dispute with parliament members on July 26. Photo: Parliement of Georgia press office
Tweet 
Share
David Dvali and Jarji Akimidze, the founders of Rustavi 2 TV channel in 1994, say they will use “all legal” means to regain the channel from its new owner Kibar Khalvashi.
Dvali and Akimidze spoke about the TV channel ownership dispute with parliament members yesterday.
Akimidze said they demand “the restoration of justice and recognition of the fact that the state committed a crime” [when they "illegally seized the channel from its lawful owners" in 2004, under the United National Movement leadership].
Dvali said that any change in Rustavi 2’s editorial policy would now be a “severe blow for the country.”
It is a critical channel, which the country needs now like it does air. It is vital to preserve freedom of speech in the country through such a strong organisation like Rustavi 2”, he said.
He also noted that the two will meet with Khalvashi in the coming days and attempt to clarify several issues. However, Dvali said there are also certain “red lines”, which he and Akimidze cannot cross.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Dvali and Akimidze, who say that the channel was illegally seized from them in 2004, stated earlier that the only person who now stands between them and justice is Khalvashi.
The European Court of Human Rights upheld the verdict of the Georgian Supreme Court of 2017 and allowed the return of 100 per cent of Rustavi 2 shares to Kibar Khalvashi, who argued that the company was illegally seized by the UNM government from him in 2006.
Nika Gvaramia, a former Director General of Rustavi 2 TV, who was dismissed as soon as the ex-owner of the channel Kibar Khalvashi was given back his shares of the channel July 18, has announced the creation of a new channel, “which will start broadcasting earlier than you think.”
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.
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.
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.
The new owner of Rustavi 2 Kibar Khalvashi, who was given 100 per cent of the company’s shares on July 18, has met with founders of the channel David Dvali and Jarji Akimidze earlier today and offered them 40 per cent of the shares of the channel. Both Khalvashi and the founders say that the channel was illegally seized from them at different times under the United National Movement leadership.
David Dvali and Jarji Akimidze, the founders of Rustavi 2 TV channel in 1994, have filed a lawsuit against the current owner Kibar Khalvashi after Khalvashi won the channel ownership dispute at the European Court of Human Rights back in July 2019. Dvali and Akimidze say that their 60 per cent of the shares were also illegally confiscated by the previous United National Movement government in 2004 and Khalvashi was involved in the process.
Tbilisi City Court has ruled that 60 per cent of shares of TV channel Rustavi 2 be frozen after two founders of the channel filed a lawsuit against current owner Kibal Khalvashi last week. Khalvashi, who stated his shares were illegally confiscated under the United National Movement leadership back in 2006, won the ownership dispute in the European Court of Human Rights in July 2019.