We, the signatory organizations, welcome the decision of the President of Georgia to veto the amendments to the Law on Broadcasting which, together with other changes, introduce vague procedures of procurement for the Public Broadcaster, increase the time of placement of commercial advertising and sponsorship, and deal with other problematic issues. The proposed law considerably increases the risks of non-transparency and corruption in the Public Broadcaster, and is also going to cause damage to private broadcasters and the Georgian media environment as a whole.
Therefore, we call upon the Parliament of Georgia not to override the President’s veto, to take into account the substantiated arguments of the President, members of the Sector Economy Committee, private media outlets and civil society organizations, and to adopt the amendments in view of these arguments in the form which will not cause damage to the media environment and will be in line with the idea of the Public Broadcaster.
1. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association
2. Transparency International Georgia
3. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI)
4. Open Society Georgia Foundation
5. Union “Sapari”
6. Liberal Academy Tbilisi
7. Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics
8. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)
9. Economic Policy Research Center
10. Human Rights Center
11. Media Institute
12. Georgia’s Reforms Associates (GRASS)
13. NGO CiDA
14. Association “Atinati”
15. We – for Healthy Future
16. Community Union “Nukriani”
17. Bridge of Friendship “Kartlosi”
18. Bolnisi Language House
19. Tkibuli District Development Fund
20. Akhaltsikhe Youth Center
21. Democratic Development Union of Georgia
22. Union of Meskhetian Democrats
23. For Better Future
24. Civic Initiatives Association
25. Dusheti Development Fund
26. Resource Center of Self-Government of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti
27. Public Monitoring and Research Center
28. Anti-Violence Network of Georgia – Regional Committee of Mtskheta-Mtianeti
29. SIQA – Georgian Association of Educational Initiatives
30. Regional Development Center
31. Inter-Ethnic Unity of Kvemo Kartli
32. Association “Spektri”
33. Georgian Rural Council
34. Samtskhe-Javakheti Media Center
35. Women for Regional Development
ჯ. კახიძის #15, თბილისი, საქართველო, 0102 ; ტელ: (995 32) 95 23 53; ფაქსი: (995 32) 92 32 11; ელ-ფოსტა: gyla@gyla.ge; www.gyla.ge
15, J. Kakhidze str. 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia. Tel: (995 32) 95 23 53; Fax: (995 32) 92 32 11; E-mail: gyla@gyla.ge; www.gyla.ge