TV Company 'Trialeti' Canceled News Broadcasting

Shida Kartli TV-Radio Company "Trialeti' cancelled News broadcasting. News program 'Anarekli' has given up functioning since Friday. Nino Chibchiuri, the interim head of the News-Room stated on live that 'Anarekli' has stopped working for uncertain period of time.

Representatives of 'Trialeti' stated in their interview with HRIDC that they do not know reason of abolishing news broadcasting. Security guards of the television urge that delay would be short. Journalists and operators were given holiday. Employees of the company do not comment other details.

HRIDC has been informed that present owner of the Ltd 'Trialeti' declared to the staff at the meeting about allocated debts. He said he had to close news service department, and does not exclude possibility of selling the company. Nanetashvili stated to the journalists that his company has many debts and it was impossible to work. 

'Trialeti' staff has already been dismissed twice this year. Initially it happened in August 2006 and two months later on October 1 news broadcasting started its activities. Financial crisis made TV Company to cease its work.

On September 5 in 2005 former journalists for the company sued Badri Nanetashvili, founder and owner of 'Trialeti' at Regional and Financial Police Departments. They argued that Nanetashvili did not give salaries to them. He was Member of Parliament at that time. Law enforcers' indifference made them to apply Public Defender in March 2006. Ombudsmen studied their appeal and estimated that journalists' rights were really breached in the company. Sozar Subari submitted his conclusion to the Georgian Parliament which resulted into firing Badri Nanetashvili from the Parliament.

Badri Nanetashvili sued Parliament's decision at the Constitutional Court. The case is in the process of discussion.

Employees for the newspaper 'Trialeti' stated that Badri Nanetashvili put them in charge of the newspaper. 'If you keep the newspaper then take responsibility of running it,"-stated Nanetashvili.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori