A rally is taking place in Batumi, with protesters demanding live coverage by the Public Broadcaster Adjara Television.
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As Aza Gabunia, a member of the Strong Georgia coalition, stated, the public broadcaster is obligated to meet the demands of citizens and provide them with a platform to discuss the country's problems, as it is funded by the public.
In Batumi, protesters are demonstrating against the falsification of elections and the suspension of European integration. The rally participants are demanding that the television dedicate its airwaves to the objective coverage of these issues.
On November 29, 95 employees of Public Broadcaster Adjara TV and Radio (the list is subject to updates) signed a joint statement, which asserts that "the Georgian government's decision to suspend negotiations with the European Union until 2028 is against the constitution and the will of the Georgian people."
"The primary values we must protect in the media where we work, which is funded by the public, should remain unchanged, regardless of the political landscape. The first of these values is our constitution, and Article 78 obligates constitutional bodies to take all necessary measures to advance integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures," the statement said.
The signatories of the statement declare that their activities must, now more than ever, remain independent of both party influences and the public.
"We emphatically reaffirm our commitment to the most important values, which include public broadcasting free from state intervention, asking critical questions, and objectively covering current events in the country," the statement said.
Adjara Television and Radio, part of the Public Broadcaster, distanced itself from the statement, clarifying that it represents the views of the employees of Tsakleuli and does not reflect the official position of the broadcaster.