Service agencies within Kakheti municipality boads and departments that are funded from the state budget refused to subscribe newspaper “Imedi” in 2009 though they used to in 2008. According to the editorial office of the regional newspaper “Imedi”, the reason for the refusal was instructions from higher authorities.
Albina Pilavova, sales manager of the newspaper “Imedi”, reported that many individuals as well as legal entities told their sales agents in private talks that despite their wish to subscribe “Imedi” newspaper, they can not do because of the “instruction they received from high authorities”. The former subscribers also claim that “they were ordered not to subscribe newspaper on January 9, 2009.” This fact is particularly interesting since the newspaper was famous for its bitter and critical articles,” however, they do not specify who instructed them.
Giorgi Sibashvili, Deputy Kakheti Regional Governor, denies this information. He said that he himself subscribes both local and central newspapers. He added that nobody was instructed against subscribing newspapers in service agencies of the local authority.
Source: Medianews