The Parliament stripped Badri Nanetashvili of his MP credentials on June 21 after accusing him of management of the local TV station Trialeti in Shida Kartli region and interfering in the television station’s editorial policy.

“Mr. Nanetashvili has unfortunately failed to present counter-arguments, which would have disavowed allegations against him,” Nino Burjanadze, the Parliamentary Chairperson, told reporters.

Badri Nanetashvili was a member of the ruling National Movement, but quitted the party on June 15 after accusing an influential parliamentarian from the National Movement Giga Bokeria and Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili of intimidation. Nanetashvili claimed that MP Bokeria was mounting pressure on him and demanding that he quit the Parliament, while the Defense Minister was demanding from him to sell shares of the Trialeti TV stations. MP Bokeria has strongly denied accusations.

Meanwhile a group of Trialeti TV staff are holding a protest rally outside the President’s Administration in Tbilisi on June 21 fearing that authorities might try to mount pressure on the television on the eve of the local self-governance elections scheduled for this autumn.

Parliamentarians from the opposition New Rights party demanded to probe into these allegations, but the proposal was turned down.

In March the Parliament stripped Valery Gelashvili of the opposition Republican Party of his MP credentials over alleged involvement in the management of his construction business. Gelashvili has appealed the Parliament’s decision to the Constitutional Court and the case is currently under consideration.