Ruling party head claims bill regulating hate speech, incitement to terrorism an “EU directive”
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday commented on the amendments to the Law on Broadcasting. Photo: Georgian Dream press office
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday reacted to controversy over planned amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, aimed at “preventing hate speech and incitement to terrorism” by claiming the bill, approved by the Parliament in its first reading this week, was a “directive of the European Union”.
The lawmaker said the GD-proposed bill, which extends the power of the National Communications Commission in regulating hate speech and incitement to terrorism, was one of three legal pieces sent to the bloc for opinion and “approved” by EU structures.
His comments came as the domestic Media Advocacy Coalition warned the “concentration of additional power” in the hands of the regulatory body could “potentially lead to abuse”.
[The ruling power] has no political interest, it is the directive of the EU that is being fulfilled. We have proposed three options and this option was chosen [by the EU]”, Kobakhidze told the press.
The bill says it aims at creating an “effective mechanism to prevent the spread of programmes and commercials with hate speech and incitement to terrorism”. It also allows appeal of decisions on violation of the norm in programming or advertising with the Communications Commission.
It also notes media service providers will be warned in cases of initial violations, and will be fined in cases of repeat violations within a year from the warning in the amount of 0.5 percent of their income in the preceding year, but not less than ₾2,500 ($919). The fine will be increased in cases of continuous violations, the amendments also say.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Friday said the European Commission’s oral report on Georgia’s implementation of the 12-point conditions outlined by the former body last year for granting the country the European Union’s membership candidate status had “confirmed the efforts” by domestic authorities to meet the recommendations.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said Georgia would fulfil all 12 priorities set by the European Union for granting the country its membership candidate status, so that there would be “no reason left” for not granting Georgia the status in December.
Part of the amendments to Law of Georgia on Competition that sets the principles for protecting free and fair competition from unlawful restrictions in order to spur on the development of free trade and a competitive market, are coming into force today, announces Georgian Competition Agency.
The Communications Commission, a regulatory body in the broadcasting and electronic communications field, has dismissed allegations that the government’s proposed changes to the law on electronic communications are a threat to media freedom.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Tuesday said Georgia’s domestic Law on Broadcasting, approved by the country’s Parliament this month, met the related standards of the bloc.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday claimed the adoption of the recent amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, which extends the power of the National Communications Commission in regulating hate speech and incitement to terrorism, had been a “demand of the European Union”.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday signed the amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, which was approved by the country’s Parliament this month, the Presidential Administration said.