A group of employees from the Public Broadcaster's Pirveli Arkhi has issued a joint statement distancing themselves from the Georgian Dream's decision to suspend the European integration process, condemning the violence against demonstrators, and demanding that the broadcaster dedicate its airtime to reflecting public opinion. The statement emphasizes that the Public Broadcaster is not covering events in a thorough and impartial manner.
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“Georgia’s European future is our historic choice, enshrined in Article 78 of the Constitution (‘The constitutional bodies shall, within their powers, take all measures to ensure Georgia’s full integration into the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.’). The decision announced by the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia on November 28 violates the constitutional obligation to ensure integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, leading to mass rallies and demonstrations in Tbilisi and the regions. As ordinary citizens of this country, we condemn the brutal crackdown, persecution, and imprisonment of peaceful citizens, stand with the demonstrators, and consider it our civic responsibility to protect the present and future chosen by the people and enshrined in the Constitution.
In these crucial processes, the media, especially the public broadcaster, whose independence is guaranteed by Article 17 of the Constitution (‘The law ensures the independence of the Public Broadcaster from state agencies and freedom from political and commercial influence.’), plays a vital role.
Each employee believes in the power and influence of the Public Broadcaster and the principle that it is accountable only to the public.
Unfortunately, the Public Broadcaster has recently failed to meet its legal obligations and does not cover events in depth or impartially.
The concept of the Public Broadcaster is a major achievement of a democratic state, and therefore, we consider it our duty to protect free speech.
We, the employees of the Pirveli Arkhi of the Public Broadcaster, condemn and protest the violence against our fellow citizens and colleagues. We feel a civic and professional responsibility, which is why we welcome and demand that our airtime be devoted to reflecting public opinion and encouraging public discussions,” the statement, signed by 60 employees of Channel One, reads.
In recent days, protest rallies have been held near the Public Broadcasting building, with participants accusing the broadcaster of biased coverage of current events. They demanded the resignation of Director General Tinatin Berdzenishvili and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Vasil Maghlaperidze, as well as the concession of live airtime to the public, opposition parties, and the president. The management of the Public Broadcasting and some of its employees do not accept this criticism. According to them, Channel One has been continuously covering the protest rallies.
