State Audit Office to investigate who stands behind billboards depicting 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.’
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The Georgian State Audit Office has launched an investigation to find out who stands behind billboards depicting opposition politicians as ‘bloody.’
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’.
The State Audit Office requested information regarding the customer, the cost of the placement, and circulation from the company owning the banner placements”, reads an official statement released by the State Audit Office.
The statement also reads that the State Audit Office has started administrative proceedings to determine the legality of incurred expenses for placement of the billboards.
On September 18, 2021 businessman Mikheil Gabriadze 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.
On September 20, 2021 political movement Droa leader Elene Khoshtaria, who is the united opposition’s joint candidate for the City Council chair in the upcoming local elections, filed a complaint in the Central Election Commission (CEC) over the billboards.
Later in September the CEC stated that the placement of the banners in Tbilisi and other regions are not considered a part of an election program, which is why there are no legal grounds for taking any legal measures against it.
The spokesperson of CEC stated that the person who placed the banners does not represent any political party, election subject, or other official supporter.