Head of Gori Tax Inspection Terrorizes TV-Radio Company “Trialeti”

TV-Radio Company “Trialeti” requests to start criminal investigation against head of Gori Tax Inspection Levan Tsitelashvili. The latter persecutes TV-Company “Trialeti” when local TV-station reports about the problems of population.

Last attempt to punish the TV-station happened on January 28 when officers of the Tax Inspection ordered the “Trialeti” to release their advertisement which cost 522 GEL. Based on the demand of Levan Tsitelashvili the TV-Station had to release the advertisement for free. Representatives of the TV-company requested them to sign agreement and to pay the fee. After that, on January 28, TV-company received a notification on the fine of 600 GEL.

However, it is not first fact when head of Tax Inspection breaches the law and punishes “Trialeti-TV” willfully. The company reported about the problems of local businessmen and population several times. Among them were individual entrepreneurs who were ordered by the officers of Tax Inspection to open their shops at 3:00 am and fined all of them with 5-10 thousands of GEL. News program “Anarekli” also reported that after the president announced tax amnesty, petrol stations and part of shops were sealed up in Gori.

Levan Tsitelashvili opposed “Trialeti-TV” before he occupied the position of the head of Tax Inspection. When he was working at the “Eastern Water, Ltd”, the TV-station released information about polluted water and population urged for help.

After Levan Tsitelashvili occupied high position, he started oppression on the TV-company. Soon after promotion, based on Tsitelashvili’s order, officers of Tax Inspection raided Trialeti office without introducing themselves to the employees. Despite the request of the employees of the TV-station, they ran around the office like gendarmerie. The inspectors said they were ordered to raid the office. Our request to punish those people was replied by fining the TV-station.

It is noteworthy that TV-station was fined only after they reported about raiding of individual entrepreneurs and private companies by tax inspectors.

It has become difficult for the journalists of the Trialeti-TV to work freely because after every critical report they expect fines from the Tax Inspection.

It is noteworthy that every TV-item prepared by the Trialeti-TV is impartial and each of them provides position of the Tax Inspection.

TV-Company “Trialeti” appealed against the imposed fines at the tax department.

“Trialeti-TV” has informed local authority about illegal fines and harassment from the Tax Inspection, however, nobody has responded to their request for help.

Consequently, TV-Company “Trialeti” intends to bring suit against Levan Tsitelashvili at the prosecutor’s office. They will request to launch criminal case on abusing the power and preventing journalists in their professional activities.

Despite the oppression from the head of Tax Inspection, news room of the TV-Company “Trialeti” continues their impartial activities.

News Room of TV-Company “Trialeti”