Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), which is already embroiled in series of controversies, was thrown further into limbo after two out of nine sitting members of its board of trustees stepped down making the board virtually dysfunctional.

With remaining seven sitting members the board becomes incapable to take any decision as at least eight members are required to be present at a session.

Chairman of the board Emzar Goguadze alleged that the two members quit after pressure exerted on them; he said that the authorities wanted to make the board dysfunctional in order to thwart selection of a new general director of GPB by the sitting board. The board sacked in early September general director of the broadcaster, Giorgi Baratashvili, for the second time in six months.

One of the board members, Nino Danelia, said on October 4 that she was approached by Georgian Dream-affiliated individuals, whom she declined to specify, and was requested to step down from the board, which she refused to do.

According to the new provisions in the law on broadcasting, which went into force in July, term of the sitting board expires by the end of this year and then new board should be composed based on new rules; no vacant seat should be filled if a member quits before January 1, 2014, according to these new provisions.