The Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, continues his smear campaign and aggressive rhetoric against the online publication Mountain Stories. Today, he again attacked the editor of the publication, Gela Mtivlishvili, calling him a "self-proclaimed journalist."
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"In these times of crisis, we saw a self-proclaimed journalist spouting lies in an attempt to sow panic among the population," Papuashvili said to the media on September 14, citing Mountain Stories as an example of "one-sided and unverified journalism."
After the statement of the chairman of the parliament, the chairman of the ruling party of Georgian Dream and the leader of the parliamentary majority, Irakli Kobakhidze, called the editor of Mountain Stories a "shameful man."
"Gela Mtivlishvili is a shameful man... considering him a journalist is absolutely wrong. Gela Mtivlishvili has nothing to do with the media and journalism," echoed Kobakhidze.
Papuashvili and Kobakhidze confronted Mountain Stories for critical coverage of the Shovi tragedy. The information about the natural disaster, the photos of the people stuck in the mudslide and the story saying they needed urgent help by helicopter, were first published by Mountain Stories. The publication actively covered the incident from the scene, which the members of Georgian Dream were not happy about, and threatened the journalist at the scene. Soon after, the authorities restricted entry to Shovi first to the journalists of Mountain Stories, and then to all media. In interviews with Mountain Stories, a number of scientists stated that the deaths could have been avoided. 33 people, including children, were killed in Shovi by a glacial landslide from the Buba river valley.
The editor of Mountain Stories Gela Mtivlishvili says that the publication does not intend to engage in polemics with politicians, and, every such statement by Papuashvili and other leaders of the Georgian Dream party worsens the working environment of the media and makes it more dangerous.
‘’From day one of the natural disaster, we have been providing only verified information to the public.
We are currently working on an investigative film and despite many interferences from the state agencies – restricting entry to Shovi; blocking the release of public records; warning/intimidating respondents not to meet us and refuse to be interviewed; and threats, we will finish working on the film in the coming days. This will be our answer,’’ says Gela Mtivlishvili.
The chairman of the parliament and the leader of the parliamentary majority started attacking Mountain Stories from the first days of the tragedy. Papuashvili accused Mountain Stories, the director of the National Seismic Monitoring Center, Tea Godoladze, and the director of Green Alternative, Nino Gujaraidze - those who questioned the initial assessment of the National Environmental Agency on the Shovi disaster - of sabotage.
"During a natural disaster and at a moment of crisis, we are seeing direct sabotage by spreading disinformation, which raises serious questions towards the foreign donors of these organizations - Green Alternative and Mountain Stories.
We received condolences from many different countries. Condolences are good, but when they keep funding organizations that directly engage in sabotage in a moment of crisis, try to sow panic, and disorient the public, that's just wrong.
I don't know who the current donors of these organizations are, but I urge them to consider carefully who and what they are financing. Is this their friendship towards our people? When in a moment of crisis, the organizations they fund try to undermine the whole process and spread panic. This disinformation, which at peaceful times we can somehow tolerate and react less emotionally to, we are used to it, after all, is a stab in the back during times of such tragedy. This places responsibility on the donors of these publications and NGOs, and I urge them to give it a serious thought,'' stated Papuashvili.
On the same day, Irakli Kobakhidze called the editor of Mountain Stories ''a disgrace'' on the air of Imedi TV.
The Media Advocacy Coalition calls the recent cases alarming. The independent online publication OC Media refused to publish the opinion of the Chairman of the Parliament, after which Papuashvili appealed to the donors of the publication. The publication explained the objective reasons for the refusal to the representative of the chairman, but Papuashvili tried to influence the media outlet by sending a letter to the donors and put it under censorship.
As a result of the protests of the population, the civil sector, and the media, Georgian Dream was unable to pass the so-dubbed "Russian Law", the purpose of which was to annihilate independent media in the country. However, the statements and actions of Shalva Papuashvili testify that the government is not giving up the spirit of the ''Russian Law'' and continues to exert pressure on the media.
Attacks on media owners and attempts to bully independent online media outlets undermine journalists' efforts to do their jobs. Such actions not only limit the information availability to the public but also destroy the few remaining democratic institutions in the country," the Media Advocacy Coalition urged the ruling party to take immediate measures to protect media freedom.
