General Director of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Tamar Kintsurashvili accused some parliamentarians of interfering in the television’s staff policy.

“Parliamentarians should take into consideration that the Public Broadcasting station is an independent entity and they have no right to interfere in the television’s staff policy,” Kintsurashvili said at a news conference on March 2.

Recently, the Public Broadcasting station has been plagued by a series of resignations and dismissals of employees, including several top executives. Former employees of the station have accused the General Director of mismanagement.

Some parliamentarians from the ruling National Movement party, including MP Elene Tevdoradze and MP Manan Jebashvili, requested on March 1 to convene the Board of the Public Broadcasting station to brief the parliamentarians about the situation at the station. MP Tevdoradze, who chairs the Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights, said that “professional are being sacked from the station.”

The statements made by Tamar Kintsurashvili at the news conference on March 2 triggered protest among parliamentarians. “The statement made by Kintsurashvili about our ability to read laws is absolutely inadmissible. The Board of Public Broadcasting was approved by the Parliament and we have the right to receive information about the situation at the station,” MP Elene Tevdoradze said on March 2 at the parliamentary session.