Georgia's Communications Commission admits ruling party’s complaints against media

The Communications Commission of Georgia has deemed admissible the complaints filed by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, against the television stations TV Pirveli and Formula. Representatives of the TV stations had requested the complaints be dismissed as inadmissible, but the Commission decided to consider them in a substantive hearing.

The complaints, registered on May 2, allege that the broadcasters failed to differentiate between factual reporting and commentary. Georgian Dream demands that the Commission impose sanctions on the broadcasters.

Specifically, in the case of TV Pirveli, the ruling party points to 14 phrases used in news broadcasts and five so-called “information cards” circulated on social media. The phrases cited include “illegitimate government,” “sanctioned parliament,” “regime,” and “oligarch’s parliament.” Formula faces similar allegations for using phrases of comparable content.

Georgian Dream argues that the broadcasters violated several provisions of the Law on Broadcasting, including Article 54, which relates to upholding the principles of fairness and impartiality.