Public or “Liberty Institute’s” Television?

Public or “Liberty Institute’s” Television?

After considerable public excitement, the board of Public Broadcasting TV Company elected Tamar Kintsurashvili, ex-head of Media and communication programs of Liberty Institute, as the Director General of Public TV. Such decision raised suspicion on the impartiality of the board of Public Broadcasting and caused protest in some parts of society.

The competition on the position of Director General of Public Broadcasting TV was announced on June 24, 2005. Sixteen persons applied for this position. The board of public broadcasting could not elect anyone in its session on July 23; all candidates were rejected due to lack of experience in management. A new competition was announced in which 24 persons took part. A second tour of interviews with the participants was organized on August 19. The board of Public Broadcasting preferred its ex-member, Tamar Kintsurashvili, to the other two winners of the second tour: Lia Mukhashavria and Sergo Bitsadze.  Kinturashvili was elected as the Director General for six years. Six of the board members of Public Broadcasting voted in favour of her, one – Matsatso Sebiskveradze voted Lia Mukhashavria and another - Nino Ananiashvili refrained from voting.

The members of the board of Public Broadcasting are appointed by the President and to leave the board is possible only by his agreement. If Mrs. Tamar Kintsurashvili would not be in possession of a document providing proof for the leave granted by the President at the moment of application, it would be impossible for her to participate in the competition. Mikheil Saakashvili was not in Georgia then. He has the right to grant such type of document only from the Chancellery and it should be authentic, otherwise no legal meaning could be attached to it. No phone calls or verbal agreements are permitted. So, Tamar Kintsurashvili, who is considered a governmental employee, had a conflict of interests and could not participate in the competition. Though, according to a statement of the chairman of the board of Public Broadcasting - Levan Tarkhnishvili, Kintsurashvili’s documents were in order.
 
According to lawyer Lia Mukhashavria, the competition was organized in an unfair manner; the board followed a governmental order and appointed the person they wanted themselves. Levan Tarkhnishvili argues the opposite: ”Tamar Kintsurashvili’s views and working experience were the most acceptable for the board compared to the other participants. If anyone thinks that the board violated any law by its decision, he must restrain from these unserious accusations and statements and should go to court.”

Mr. Lasha Bakradze, one of the participants of the competition, suspected that Tamar Kintsurashvili could hope for a majority and had great support outside the board: ”Her election was warranted, so nothing was left for election. Ladies, the members of the board who refrained from voting, deserve respect. If such fair persons would leave the board, it would serve as an example of civil heroism which our society needs so much today.”

Mrs. Lia Mukhashavria had insisted that the interview of August 19 would be broadcasted live. She thought that it would be important for the board to make its decision in public, so that everyone could see whose concept was better. Levan Tarkhnishvili considered it as an inconvenience to show the 3 hour interview live. “I don’t think, that anyone is interested in it that much. It seems to me as a populist action from the side of Mukhashavria. The principle of publicity has absolutely been upheld, as the interview was recorded. Every interested person can hear it. It will be decoded and posted on the web-site of the TV.”

Lawyer Mukhashavria plans to bring forward a claim against the decision of the board. “It’s important to create a public TV which is independent from the government and accountable to society for the first time in the history of our country. The functioning of this organization is of great importance for the development of the whole of the mass media, especially in those conditions when the government cannot be said to set the example of good democratic governing. The excitement in society can be seen as the result of this process. In this case I represent the wish of that part of society that demands to stand up against it.” Mukhashavria does not hope to find justice in the country, as she thinks that Georgia’s judicial branch is not fair and independent. She thinks that she will take the claim to the European Court of Justice and will certainly win there.

Rusudan Jamaspishvili