Parliament overrides President’s veto on Broadcasting Law

The Parliament of Georgia has overridden  the president’s veto on the amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, which boosts support for the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), the only media outlet in the country receiving more than 50 million GEL budgetary financing annually.

83 lawmakers out of the total 150 Members of Parliament (MPs) voted for overriding the veto, while 13 voted against.

President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili vetoed the amendments to the Law on Broadcasting in mid-January.

The amendments adopted by parliament in December 2017 enable GPB to release commercials on working days in order to generate more money for development, which was labeled a "forceful strike” by almost all private broadcasters in the country.

• The changes read that the GBP can redirect the input of state financing for encouraging start-up businesses, TV-radio and online products.
• Based on the amendments the Law on State Procurements will not expand to programs prepared by independent legal entities that will take up no less than 25 percent of GPB broadcasting.
• Restrictions provided through the Law on State Procurements will also not expand to programs, films, and TV series aired by the GPB as well as to resources which are needed for making such products.

Margvelashvili stated that he opposed the possibility of releasing commercials by the GPB as well as the planned changes in the Law on State Procurements.