Parliament Approved Competition Commission for Selection of GPB’s Board Candidates

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The Parliament approved the composition of the Parliamentary Competition Commission for the selection of candidates for the membership (guardianship) of the Public Broadcasting Board of Trustees. Four out of nine members of the commission are employees of the pro-government TV company Imedi.

Members of the Parliamentary Competition Commission are:

  • Davit Maglaferidze - program director of Radio Imedi;
  • Mako Jaoshvili - vice-rector of Alterbridge - International University of Management & Communication associate professor;
  • Goderdzi Sharashia - journalist, presenter of Imedis Dila morning program of TV company Imedi;
  • Nino Meunargia - journalist, presenter, and author of the We Are Here program of Radio Imedi. Defender of the rights of children with disabilities;
  • Otar Tatishvili - film actor, radio and TV presenter, host of Imedis Dila morning program of TV company Imedi, doctor, professor;
  • Nino Kakulia - editor of Tbilisi magazine of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, journalist;
  • Gedevan Jincharadze - soloist of the Rustavi ensemble, folklorist;
  • Mariam Gvidiani - executive director of the non-commercial (non-profit) legal entity Women's Voice - Democracy and Security;
  • Givi Abesadze - soloist of the folk ensemble Didgori.

Three seats are vacant on the 11-member Board of Trustees of Public Broadcasting. The 9-member competition commission is tasked with selecting candidates for these vacancies.

"The composition of the commission was selected through consultations. The opposition had the opportunity to present their own candidates, but unfortunately, no one was nominated from their side. Additionally, the public defender made a nomination for a candidate for the commission membership," said the chairman of the parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, during today's plenary session.

The member of the "United National Movement," Levan Bezhuashvili, explained the situation and requested the addition of journalist Eka Tsamalashvili to the commission: "We support this candidacy. It's possible that we simply ran out of time and couldn't submit it in time. I don't think it would hurt if one candidate from our faction was also included."

At the next stage, the Parliamentary Competition Commission will draft a provision that will establish the criteria for evaluating the candidates for the Board of Trustees and the concepts for the development of the Public Broadcaster that they have developed.

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