Privately owned TV 3 accuses UNM of blackmailing and threat

The privately owned TV channel TV 3 accused the United National Movement authorities of threats and blackmail today.  

The broadcast company called on the NGOs and diplomatic services to be interested with this issue and the media outlets, to defend the TV channel from the UNM pressure. They have also expressed readiness to disclose all the facts they have to the investigative bodies.  

The founders of the TV 3 say in a special statement that the first threatening statement towards the channel was made by the Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava recently before he would be suspended. Namely, Ugulava said that the brother of one of the founders of the TV 3 was putting pressure on the judge in his criminal case.  

Lasha Chkhenkeli, who is a president of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, owns 30 percent of shares of TV 3. His brother, Akaki Ckhenkeli, who was blamed by Ugulava in putting a pressure on the judge with his brother, is the head of the Relations Department with the local government entities at the Government of Georgia. He was appointed on this post after Garibashvili became a Prime Minister.  

"The brother of Akaki Chkhenkeli, who is the owner of one of the TV channels and has shares in almost every business, is also involved in this [the pressure on the judge], Ugulava said.  

The TV 3 statement was immediately answered by the representative of the UNM.  

As Irma Nadirashvili said, Ugulavas statement was related to Chkhenkeli himself and not to the journalists of the TV.  

"We actively participate in their TV shows and programs, so this statement of Chkhenkeli is an awful attempt to hide behind the journalists, Nadirashvili said.  

She also found strange that owners of the TV 3 spoke about pressure from the former government representatives while one of them, Kakha Baindurashvili has been a Finanace Minister of Gerogia for more than two years until 2011.

Baindurashvili owns 9 percent of the TV 3 shares.