Opposition party European Georgia sues advertising company Alma for not putting up banners
Based on Alma’s legislative proposal, the electoral code or other legislative acts should be amended in order to restrict or prohibit the placement of hate speech banners in self-governing cities and municipalities. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The European Georgia opposition party sues advertising company Alma for violation of the terms of their contract and refusal to put up the party’s banners.
European Georgia wanted to display banners in which the billionaire and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is depicted as a pig. The billboard calls on Georgian citizens ‘not to become an animal farm’, a reference to the George Orwell novel Animal Farm.
Party leader Giorgi Noniashvili says the company did not display European Georgia’s ‘satirical billboards’ in order ‘not to offend Ivanishvili.’
Alma announced that it will ‘not put up hate speech banners’ and addressed the Georgian parliament with an initiative to ban hateful advertisements on October 3.
Anti-opposition billboards appeared in Tbilisi on September 17 ahead of the October 2 municipal elections, which depicted opposition political leaders and managers of opposition-minded TV channels as ‘bloody’, and despite several complaints filed in the Central Election Commission (CEC) over the billboards, the CEC found no legal basis for drawing up a violation report on the placement of anti-opposition banners. 
The ‘bloody’ billboards read: ‘No to Natsis (referring to the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party), No to evil, No to betrayal.’ Photo: Netgazeti.
This is a very sad story, which clearly shows how selective the attitude of both the government and the businesses that are closely connected with the government is,” Noniashvili said.
The ‘bloody’ banners were removed from all locations in Georgia after the municipal elections on October 2 took place.
European Georgia pledged several days ago to ‘create inconvenience, both legally and otherwise’ if the company does not comply with the terms of the agreement.
Alma stated that such a decision might lead to ‘legal proceedings against the company,’ and underscored that their ‘decision is final in relation to any subject.’
The Georgian parliament’s committee on legal affairs supported an appeal of the advertising company to ban hateful advertisements on October 8.
Based on Alma’s legislative proposal, the electoral code or other legislative acts should be amended in order to restrict or prohibit the placement of hate speech banners in self-governing cities and municipalities.
The Georgian parliament’s committee on legal affairs has supported the appeal of advertising company Alma to ban hateful advertisements earlier today. Based on Alma’s legislative proposal, the electoral code or other legislative acts should be amended in order to restrict or prohibit the placement of hate speech banners in self-governing cities and municipalities.
The opposition European Georgia party has demanded advertising company Alma put up their banners and to fulfil the terms of their contract. European Georgia wants to place the banners where the billionaire and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Bidzina Ivanishvili is depicted as a pig. The billboard calls on Georgian citizens ‘not to become an animal farm and stop being understanding’ in a reference to the George Orwell novel Animal Farm.
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.
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.’