TBILISI, MARCH 6 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili proposed setting up a media ombudsman, a move that several senior media figures and civil society activists said was an attempt to exert more control over the media.
The announcement came only days after the European Court for Human Rights indefinitely suspended the Georgian Supreme Court’s order to hand ownership of the opposition Rustavi 2 TV channel to a pro-government businessman.
In his statement, Mr Kvirikashvili said European values and democracy needed strengthening in Georgia, including defending the media.
“We are determined to defend European values in our country,” he said. “This is why I offer to establish the Office of Media Ombudsman, consisting of the most reputable international media rights observers. Today, I am publicly inviting for cooperation European media experts and specialists who have proved in deed their professionalism.”
Critics of the Georgian Dream coalition have said that the government’s real aim, as shown by its determination to hand the troublesome Rustavi-2 back to Kibar Khalvashi, is to control the media which has broadly retained its legacy of supporting the political party of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili.
Nestani, a human rights activist, told the Conway Bulletin that any new media watchdog set up by the Georgian Dream would find it impossible to be politically independent.
“They [the government] appoint them [the ombudsmen]. If the media Ombudsman office is created then it should be independent from the government’s control otherwise I don’t see a reason for creating it,” she said.
The row over Rustavi-2’s ownership has soured Georgia’s relations with Europe just as it has won visa- free access to the Schengen Zone. Georgia has perused a determined pro-EU foreign policy.
The row has also triggered some of the biggest anti-government demonstrations in Tbilisi for years. More are expected this week.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 320, published on March 13 2017)