About Civil.ge
Eng | Geo | Rus
Last updated: 10:55 - 1 May.'18
RSS
Mobile
Twitter
Facebook
CSOs Concerned over GPB-Related Developments
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 4 Nov.'17 / 16:37

“The growing influence of the government and of individuals affiliated with former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is a matter of concern for us and contradicts to the mission of the public broadcaster in a democratic society,” a group of 29 civil society organizations wrote in their statement on the publicly-funded Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB.)

The November 2 statement slammed “the nepotistic” practice of hiring at GPB and noted that Ivanishvili-affiliated individuals “have been appointed to key positions,” which “raises legitimate questions in the civil society sector.”

The organizations pointed at the election of Vasil Maglaperidze, former employee of Bera Ivanishvili’s (Bidzina Ivanishvili’s son) GDS TV, to the post of GPB’s Director General, as well as the “mass hiring” of former GDS staff.

“Recent reports have demonstrated that the public broadcaster’s editorial policy and its criticism towards the government had been softened,” the CSOs noted, adding that the company’s August decision to pull out the already selected TV programs was “obscure.”

The organizations also touched upon the GPB-related legislative proposal initiated by the Parliament in June, which, according to CSOs, “significantly reduces GPB’s transparency and openness, increases the powers of GPB management, weakens the Board of Trustees, creates risk of sham deals, and deteriorates employee protection mechanisms.”

The CSOs commented on the public tender, which was announced by GPB on October 10 and suspended on November 1. “The tender worth GEL 346 098 announced by GPB for hiring the lighting services for one of the broadcaster’s new programs was won by a company, owned by Bera Ivanishvili and operated by Goga Khaindrava, a close associate of [Bidzina] Ivanishvili,” reads the statement.
 
The organizations added that Bera Ivanishvili’s follow-up statement, where he explained he was unaware of the tender and expressed readiness to gift the lighting equipment free of charge, “created additional questions on how the company management decided to participate in the tender without the owner’s consent, as well as whether the public television can accept an expensive gift and simultaneously maintain impartial editorial policy under the current management.”

“Moreover, the company owned by Goga Khaindrava won a tender worth GEL 484 000 announced for producing television series and purchasing its equipment,” the CSOs also wrote.
 
The civil society organizations then called on the Parliament “to show its interest” over the GPB-related developments and hold a public discussion on the matter.

Latest News
01 May.'18 10:55
We Have Moved to a New Platform
Direct Your Bookmarks to https://civil.ge.
29 Apr.'18 03:54
Ruling Party Candidate Wins MP By-Elections
Givi Chichinadze will represent Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency in the Parliament of Georgia.
28 Apr.'18 09:40
Polls Open for Vani and Khoni MP By-Elections
48,123 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency.
27 Apr.'18 17:23
State Dept’s Europe Affairs Point Man to Visit Tbilisi
Wess Mitchell will meet senior government officials and address the NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum.
27 Apr.'18 13:45
In Quotes: Georgian Politicians on Ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Comeback
Bidzina Ivanishvili will be approved as the Georgian Dream party chairman at the upcoming convention.
26 Apr.'18 18:15
SG Jens Stoltenberg: Georgia NATO’s ‘Very Close’ Partner
The NATO Secretary General says Foreign Ministers meeting tomorrow will recognize the country’s progress.
26 Apr.'18 14:24
Ex-PM Ivanishvili to Chair Georgian Dream Party
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said Ivanishvili was ‘best equipped’ to add new dynamism to the party.
26 Apr.'18 11:12
Lawmaker Proposes Criminal Liability for ‘Insult of Religious Feelings’
The parliamentary human rights committee decided to set up a working group for scrutinizing the draft law.
25 Apr.'18 17:21
New Abkhaz Government Head Appointed
Gennady Gagulia has served as the Abkhaz “prime minister” twice - in 1995-1997, and 2002-2003.
25 Apr.'18 14:43
Watchdog Improves Georgia’s Press Freedom Ranking
None of the countries of the former Soviet Union (except the Baltics) are ranked ahead of Georgia.

About Civil Georgia
Civil.Ge © 2001-2025, Daily News Online
Registered office: 2 Dolidze Str, 4-th Floor.
27