235 people have applied for membership of the nine-seat board of trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), Goka Gabashvili, deputy head of the president’s administration, said on February 20.

In accordance with the law, the president must submit to Parliament a shortlist of 27 nominees, from which the board is chosen.  

The selection process will, the government has said, be conducted by consensus with the opposition. The board will then have to appoint a new GPB director-general, as the current one, Tamar Kintsurashvili, has said she will resign as soon as the new board is elected. Her resignation is an opposition demand. Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze reiterated on February 19 that a replacement candidate would be found in agreement with the opposition.

The full list of those who applied for board positions was posted on the president's website.