Georgian Vice PM: “Media freedom is our essential value”

"Even the most biased broadcasting policy can bring much less harm to the country than our partners’ questions with respect to media freedom in Georgia."

These words were spoken by Georgian Vice Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili as he answered journalists questions about the current legal fight over ownership of Tbilisi-based private broadcasting company Rustavi 2 yesterday.

Read details about the case here.

Kvirikashvili said media freedom was the Georgian Government’s essential value – a principle to which the Government remained deeply committed.

"It is important for the court to do everything to ensure that our partners have no questions with respect to this case,” he said.

The Vice PM believed media freedom was the ultimate value, which should guide any government.

"Our Government is definitely guided by this value,” he added.

"I assure you all that everything will be done to ensure that there shall be, and there is no interference in the broadcasting policy of any media company.’

"I don’t know who will win the case, I’m not familiar with the legal details of the matter, but whoever may be the winner, even the most biased broadcasting policy can bring much less harm to the country than a doubt that may arise among our friends and partners with respect to media freedom in the country.”

Kvirikashvili called on Rustavi 2 executives, as well as all those who opposed the views of the Rustavi 2 management team, that the country "must finally reach the point when court decisions, whether we like them or not, will be binding on all of us”.

"On the other hand, the court should also do its utmost to avoid ambiguity and existence of unanswered questions from our partners, our friends, even if this requires additional elements of transparency and legitimacy," Kvirikashvili said.

Read more of his comments here.