Georgian PM: “Never before has Georgian media been so free from gov’t interference”

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has replied to the March 7 letter of 17 European Parliament Members regarding the Rustavi 2 case.

In the letter, Kvirikashvili says he "was taken aback” by the letter, which struck him "by its heavy allegations”.

"Since the Georgian Dream came to power, we have spared no effort to fulfill the demand of our people and advance on the path of reforms that would turn Georgia into a European-style institutional democracy based on the rule of law, respect of fundamental rights, freedom of speech and freedom from abuse, persecution and pressure from the authorities”, Kvirikashvili said.

He stressed that media freedom is enshrined in Georgia’s constitution and is a value to which both the government and society at large attach great importance.

"I am proud to say that at no other point in the Georgian history has there been such a diversity of views, plurality of opinions and unhindered contestation of political issues reflected in the media as it is today. Never before has Georgian media been so free from the government interference and so critical of the government”, Kvirikashvili said.

He noted that the ownership dispute concerning Rustavi 2 TV station has been going on already for several years.

"At no time in this period, including throughout the election campaign, has there been any disruption of the broadcasting or any pressure on the company to change its editorial policy”, Kvirikashvili said.

"You accuse us of a blatant attempt to turn Rustavi 2 into 'yet another government friendly TV company'. This is a serious accusation against the government which has prioritised media pluralism and against the country where in fact there are no pro- government TV channels”.

Kvirikashvili added that before 2012 only 3 TV channels had nationwide coverage, while today the number has gone up to 13. He said that with a digital switchover and greater deregulation since 2016, it is now possible to establish a broadcasting company with a simple application and start operating in just 10 days.

He also noted that international rankings have shown year to year an improvement in Georgia's freedom of media and internet indicators.

"It is our achievement and it is in our interest to safeguard it. There is no evidence to the contrary”, he added.

The PM said that the ownership dispute concerning Rustavi 2 is inheritance from the past, "when property rights were repeatedly violated and fundamental rights and freedoms were sacrificed for political expediency”. 

He added that it has been the Georgian Dream’s most urgent and the most challenging task to rebuild the judiciary in Georgia, to ensure the independence of courts and to regain public trust in the functioning of the legal system.

"To this end, Georgia underwent far-reaching structural reforms, bringing Georgia's judiciary closer to European and international standards. I am fully aware that the process is not complete, given the legacy we had inherited, but courts today are no longer subject to political pressure and government control”, he said.

"Given all the above and with full respect to the position and recommendations of partners and friends of Georgia like you, openly blaming the Government, contrary to the evidence, in ongoing pressure on the private channel, in the interest to forcefully change the ownership and editorial policy with the aim of impeding the quality of democracy and free media, and in an attempt to manipulate the judiciary for a specific political outcome, strikes me as both unfair and ungrounded”, Kvirikashvili wrote.

He added that all should wait for the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, which, he believes, will bring to completion the judicial process, "ending the disproportionate politicisation of this case and proving the strength of the Georgian judiciary”.

In their March 7 letter to PM Kvirikashvili 17 European Parliament Members said that the change of Rustavi 2 ownership could result in a change in its editorial policy, "turning Rustavi 2 into another government friendly media outlet”, which would "seriously impede the quality of democracy and free media in Georgia”.