The Georgian Public Broadcaster’s (GPB) budget will receive this year additional GEL 20 million (about USD 11.9 million) to fund its Russian-language satellite news channel PIK (Perviy Informatsionniy Kavkazsky, the First Caucasus News).

GPB’s initial funding for this year stood at GEL 25 million; the figure will now be increased to GEL 45 million as part of the amendments to the 2011 state budget currently discussed in the Parliament. This additional GEL 20 million will be used for the Russian-language channel, Kakha Baindurashvili, the Georgian finance minister, told lawmakers on April 8.