Media Representatives Protested In Front of the President’s Residence in Avlabari

Media representatives protested removal of press distribution booths and circumstances about Maestro TV in front of the Avlabari residence of the President of Georgia.

Chairman of the Georgian Press Association and editor-in-chief of the newspaper Resonance Lasha Tugushi said all booths were removed from Tbilisi that was impudent and incredible decision.

“We came to the president’s residence to state again – President Saakashvili, Do Not Kill Press! We published newspapers with this slogan yesterday. Removal of press booths has already had impact on the newspapers and their circulation. Besides that, the press distribution companies went bankrupt because of their decision; they have created serious problems for the printed media,” said Lasha Tugushi.

The protesters stretched white and red prohibition ribbons around them.

One of the founders of the TV-Company Maestro Mamuka Glonti said everything that stops working and is dangerous to enter is surrounded with this ribbon. He added that Maestro cannot work today and the personnel cannot enter the building.

“We see a huge residence of the President Mikheil Saakashvili while our media organization was working only in three rooms because the government does not do anything to expel Erosi Kitsmarishvili from our office, who had broken into it by force. We request to restore legal regime and to allow the lawful director [as registered by the CRA] and journalists of the Maestro-TV to return to their own office,” said Mamuka Glonti.

He added they request all equipment, which they left in the building, to be kept in the office in the initial condition and to continue the argument at the court.

Media representatives will announce the date of the next protest demonstration in near future.

Interpresnews