Health minister: replacement of vaccination billboard with hateful political ad is unacceptable
“It's just a matter of reputation, for a high-level company like that when the country’s priorities are replaced by such hate speech banners,” stated Tikaradze. Photo: Mzia Saganelidze/RFE/RL.
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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.’
I believe that in this century, which is truly the age of communication, such language is really unacceptable and people should be able to have a dialogue with each other,” Tikaradze said.
Minister Tikaradze also noted that the advertising company ALMA should have displayed more due diligence in accepting the new ad.
It's just a matter of reputation, for a high-level company like that when the country’s priorities are replaced by such hate speech banners,” stated Tikaradze.
A photo published on social media several days ago showed the replacement process of the Covid-19 vaccination banner with opposition politicians portrayed as ‘bloody.’
The billboards depicting 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, reads: ‘No to Natsis (referring to the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party), No to evil, No to betrayal.’ Photo: Netgazeti.ge.
The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) of Georgia called on ALMA to restore their banners, noting that the body was not notified about the change beforehand.
ALMA responded that they provided the NCDC with the space for the Covid-19 vaccination campaign free of charge, saying that ‘NCDC has not asked to continue the campaign.’
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.
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.
Georgia has reported a total of 1,597 new cases of the coronavirus after conducting 34,331 tests over the last 24 hours. Out of the new cases 497 were reported in Tbilisi. There are 23,005 active cases of the covonavirus throughout the country.
The Georgian State Audit Office has launched an investigation to find out who stands behind ‘bloody’ billboards depicting opposition politicians. The billboards depicting opposition politicians, including ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and UNM mayoral candidate Nika Melia, say: ‘No to Natsis [a short, often derogatory form of the opposition UNM), No to evil, No to betrayal’.
Advertising company Alma has announced that it will ‘not put up hate speech banners’ and addressed the Georgian parliament with an initiative to ban hateful advertisements. Billboards depicting the opposition as ‘bloody’ appeared on September 17 in Tbilisi ahead of the October 2 municipal elections which depicted opposition political leaders, including former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and the media managers of two opposition-minded TV channels Nika Gvaramia and Nodar Meladze from Mtavari Arkhi and TV Pirveli.
Georgian Minister of Health Ekaterine Tikaradze has announced her resignation at a briefing at the ruling Georgian Dream party headquarters in Tbilisi today. Tikaradze said she will 'further strengthen the Georgian health and social protection services from the Georgian Dream party political council'.