US embassy statement on channel head ruling “direct interference” in judiciary - ruling party head
In his comments over the matter, Kobakhidze noted Georgia’s partners should be “equally careful” about the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, both in their own country and in another state. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
Tweet 
Share
Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the statement by the United States embassy that lamented this week’s court decision keeping Mtavari Arkhi TV director in imprisonment was a “direct interference” in the independence of the country’s judiciary.
Kobakhidze was commenting on the statement of the American diplomatic mission that said on Wednesday the “continued imprisonment of Nika Gvaramia, the Director General of the main opposition TV channel, puts at risk the clear choice of the people of Georgia”.
In his comments over the matter, Kobakhidze noted Georgia’s partners should be “equally careful” about the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, both in their own country and in another state.
“In no case do we interfere with the independence of the court and influence the court's decisions. I saw yesterday the statement of the American embassy, the ambassador's statement. It was a direct interference in the independence of the court, which is naturally very serious”, the GD official said.
Of course, our partners should be equally careful about the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary both in their own country and in another country. This is the only assessment I can make. We have a different approach to the independence of the courts and the rule of law”, he concluded in his comments.
The Tbilisi court of appeals on Wednesday upheld the verdict of the Tbilisi city court against Nika Gvaramia, the imprisoned head of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, and kept him in imprisonment for charges of having caused damage through commercial deals to Rustavi 2 channel he led in 2015 and 2019.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the statement by United States embassy lamenting court decision keeping Mtavari Arkhi TV director in imprisonment meant the diplomatic office had “admitted for the first time” the channel was a “party media” for the opposition.
The United States embassy in Tbilisi on Wednesday reiterated its “deep concern” over the judgement of the Tbilisi court of appeals which upheld the verdict of the Tbilisi city court against Nika Gvaramia, the imprisoned head of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, and kept him in imprisonment for charges of having caused damage through commercial deals to Rustavi 2 channel he led in 2015 and 2019.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said president Salome Zourabichvili would “insult” her office by pardoning Nika Gvaramia, the imprisoned head of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel, following calls by opposition politicians for the move.
Tbilisi court of appeals of Wednesday upheld the verdict of Tbilisi city court against the head of the Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Nika Gvaramia, keeping him in custody for charges of abuse of power in 2015 and 2019, during his time at the helm of Rustavi 2 channel.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday highlighted the resilience in Georgia enjoying “peace and double-digit economic growth” on the backdrop of widespread effects of the war in Ukraine and economic crisis in the wider region.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday received the highest prize of the Sabino Arana Foundation for his contribution to promoting Georgian-Basque ties, democracy and human rights, the party press office said.
Georgian judges Levan Murusidze and Valerian Tsertsvadze on Thursday called the decision of the United States Department of State to impose travel restrictions on them for alleged corruption “unfair” and “politically grounded”.