Advertising company responds to NCDC over replacement of Covid-19 vaccination banners
Head of the NCDC Amiran Gamkrelidze called on ALMA yesterday to restore vaccination banners, noting that 'immunisation is the real way to end the pandemic.' Photo: 1TV.ge.
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Advertising company ALMA has stated that they provided the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) of Georgia with the space for the Covid-19 vaccination campaign free of charge in response to the latter’s appeal to restore the vaccination banners replaced by anti-opposition political billboards on September 17.
ALMA claims that in April 2021 they provided NCDC with 40 outdoor advertising monitors and 14 billboards across the country, noting that ‘more than 50 advertising constructions and monitors are still dedicated to the vaccination campaign completely free of charge.’
Alma received remuneration only for printing banners and displaying them technically,” the statement of the advertising company reads.
It also says that per the agreement ‘the support campaign was scheduled for three months,’ noting that after these three months ‘NCDC has not asked to continue the campaign.’
A photo published on Facebook several days ago showed that a Covid-19 vaccination banner was replaced by a billboard depicting the opposition as ‘bloody.’
The billboards feature opposition political leaders and the media managers of two opposition-minded TV channels Mtavari Arkhi and TV Pirveli which reads: ‘No to Natsis (referring to the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party), No to evil, No to betrayal.’ Photo: Mzia Saganelidze/RFE/RL.
The NCDC stated yesterday that the advertising company did not notify the body regarding the change of the banners, noting that the replacement of their banners ‘was possible only with the prior agreement of the parties.’
The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced yesterday that they have launched an investigation into the issue after receiving two complaints regarding the anti-opposition billboards.
The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) of Georgia has called on advertising company ALMA to restore Covid-19 vaccination banners which were replaced by anti-opposition political billboards on September 17. The NCDC states that the advertising company did not notify the body regarding the change of the banners, noting that the replacement of their banners ‘was possible only with the prior agreement of the parties.’
Political movement Droa leader Elene Khoshtaria, who is the united opposition’s joint candidate for the City Council (Sakrebulo) chair in the upcoming local elections, has filed a complaint in the Central Election Commission (CEC) over billboards which portray opposition politicians as ‘bloody.’ The billboards feature opposition political leaders, including former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia who resigned earlier this year and the media managers of two opposition-minded TV channels Nika Gvaramia and Nodar Meladze from Mtavari Arkhi and TV Pirveli which reads: ‘No to Natsis (referring to the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party), No to evil, No to betrayal.’
Businessman Mikheil Gabriadze has told Rustavi 2 TV that he and his friends stand behind ‘bloody’ billboards depicting opposition politicians. Claiming that he does not belong to any political party, Gabriadze said the former ruling party – United National Movement – which is now the largest opposition party, should not return to power.
Transparency International (TI) Georgia and International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) say violent posters in the streets of Tbilisi pose a threat to the health and life of the opposition and media representatives.
Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze stated earlier today that the replacement of a Covid-19 vaccination ad with a ‘billboard of hatred‘ is categorically unacceptable, referring to anti-opposition political billboards which appeared in Georgia on September 17. She said that ‘vaccination is a priority not only for the country but also for the world.’