Executive Director of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics Tamar Kordzaia assesses Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s statement on Public Broadcaster as attempt of interference with operation of independent media.
“Prime Minister of Georgia, as representative of State institution, executive body of government, must refrain from expressing his personal viewpoints about media furthermore when it is about the Public Broadcaster, television which is being inspected by tax department of government,” Tamar Kordzaia told Media.ge.
“According to European legal standards level of freedom of speech of politician differs from the level of freedomof speech of executive officials; the latter is relatively limited in the given direction,” Kordzaia stressed.
At 22 November press-conference, to the question of one of journalists about ownership of the 9Th Channel, Prime Minister of Georgia replied that he will close down and hand over the building and TV-equipment of the 9th Channel owned by his spouse Ekaterina Khvedelidze, to the Public Broadcaster in case if “the Public Broadcaster will be acting for the interests of the public.”
Tamar Kordzaia recalled that the Public Broadcaster is accountable to Parliament and the society, so Palriament and the public, regular viewers are the ones to assess it.
Tasmar Kordzaia said the interest of journalists to the 9th Channel is understandable as it is property of Prime Minister’s spouse.
“He [Bidzina Ivanishvili] is obliged to answer questions of media on the given issue,” Kordzaia, lawyer by profession and media legislation specialist, said.
9th Channel which was first closed down in 2004 was reopened at the beginning of 2012 several months after billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili joined politics. At 1 October Parliamentary elections Ivanishvili’s political coalition Georgian Dream won over the governing United National Movement.
Media.ge