Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Destiny of Regional Newspapers Dependent on Subscribers

Destiny of Regional Newspapers Dependent on Subscribers

Adjarian regional newspapers will have to depend on their own income. Finances for publishing newspapers are deleted from the regional budget for 2006.

Editors hope to continue publishing newspapers through income from subscribers. “First we will register as a company, after which we will continue to exist by selling the news” said Tamaz Abuladze, editor of regional newspaper “Imedi.”
However, some of the newspapers experience problems.
As the editor of Khelvachauri regional newspaper “Kakhaberi” Resan Zakaradze said, the Head of the region Roin Beridze threatens civil servants with dismissal, if they subscribe to newspapers. “Moreover, problems have occurred for some local businessmen, who have financed “Kakhaberi”,”- said Zarakadze.

The Head of the Khelvachauri region, Roin Beridze said, “I can accuse others as well. Do they have any evidence against me? I am not interested in this news paper and I am not reading it either.”

As Vaja Diasamidze, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of Adjara said, the head of the region had to decide about funding newspapers or not. “If they find the financing of regional newspaper important, they can get capital from the regional budget. Only “Adjara” will be financed from the budget, however, funds are reduced by half.”

Maka Malakmadze from Batumi

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