8 September candidate for presidency Zurab Kharatishvili spoke about pressure put by government on several media outlets.  At the press-conference he stated that pressure put on media outlets will create threate for freedom of speech and choice. 

“A little while ago Maestro founder made a statement on pressure from government and member of Parliamentary majority called Rustavi 2 Director General to the session of the Parliamentary Temporary Investigative Committee.  Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster publicly announced that MIA representative put pressure on him, although instead of expressing concern on the given issue Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Education and Science called the Chairman of the Board of Trustees to Parliament,” Kharatishvili stressed.  According to him, such actions exceed the authority of Parliament and can be considered as government pressure on the GPB. 

Kharatishvili called on candidates for presidency, public groups and organizations of media advocacy to express their position on such facts of pressure. 

Zurab Kharatishvili is former member of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Board of Trustees. 

Source:  news agency Kavkaspress