Opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi has new shareholders
The new TV channel Mtavari Arkhi, which in Georgian means the main channel, started broadcasting in early September. Photo: Logo of Mtavari Arkhi from the TV channel's Facebook page
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New opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi, which was recently established by Nika Gvaramia, the formed Director General of Rustavi 2 TV company, has new shareholders.
In particular, Nika Gvaramia currently holds 51 percent of the shares, while Kakhaber Anjaparidze - 42 percent, Giorgi Rurua and Mari Ana Rusua - 2.5 percent each, while the University of Georgia ltd (UG) - 2 percent.
Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that the UG shareholders include Giuli Alasania, the mother of Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili as well.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Mtavari Arkhi, which in Georgian means 'main channel', started broadcasting in September less than a month after Rustavi 2 news team left the company in protest.
Currently Mtavari Arkhi is comprised of the former Rustavi 2 news team. However, some journalists stayed at Rustavi 2, while others moved to yet another new TV company - Formula.
About developments in Rustavi 2
On July 18, 2019 the European Court of Human Rights ruling effectively allowed the return of 100 percent of Rustavi 2 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.
On the same day Khavlashi appointed his lawyer Paata Salia as the channel’s new director general, replacing Gvaramia, who had held the position from 2014.
Paata Salia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Gvaramia, who was dismissed following the European Court verdict, announced his plans to open a new television company shortly after.
Meanwhile, David Dvali and Jarji Akimidze, the initial founders of Rustavi 2 TV channel back in 1994, have filed a lawsuit against the current owner Kibar Khalvashi.
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.
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).
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.
Anchor of Georgian private broadcaster Rustavi 2 Giorgi Gabunia has insulted Russian President Vladimir Putin on his live show P.S. earlier today, using offensive language in Russian.
Giorgi Rurua, the founder and shareholder of Mtavari Arkhi TV, has been detained for illegal possession and carrying of a firearm, the press office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) said.
Tbilisi City Court has sent Giorgi Rurua, one of the founders and shareholders of opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV, to detention today.
Giorgi Rurua, one of the founders and shareholders of opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV, who was detained for illegal possession and carrying a firearm on November 18, has been accused of obstructing the Tbilisi City Court’s decision, announced the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office today.
Tbilisi City Court has left a co-founder of Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua in pretrial detention for alleged possession and carrying of a firearm, the charge Rurua refuses to admit.
The European Georgia opposition party says that they will not vote for constitutional changes for the autumn parliamentary elections per the March 8 election agreement with the ruling Georgian Dream party if co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi, Giorgi Rurua, remains in prison.
Georgian Media Production Group, which holds local TV channels Imedi, GDS and Radio Imedi is for sale. The Communications Commission of Georgia has already discussed the issue at today's meeting and gave its consent on the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Georgian Media Production Group.