Today Eka Mishveladze filed against the Public Broadcaster in Tbilisi City Court, requesting invalidation of the resolutions on dismissal of Eka Mishveladze from work and cancellation of social and political talk show Pirveli Studia (First Studio), restoring Eka Mishveladze to work and other consequent requests. She also requested compensation for moral damage as a result of discriminatory actions. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association will represent Eka Mishveladze before court.
The decision to dismiss Eka Mishveladze from work and cancel social and political talk show Pirveli Studia was made by the General Director of the Public Broadcaster on February 11, 2016; however, the talk show has been off-air since the beginning of the new broadcasting season (September 2015) because according to Public Broadcaster, it was cancelled. It turns out that the talk show was officially canceled in February 2016.
The Public Broadcaster has cited para.1n, Article 37 of the Labor Code as grounds for Eka Mishveladze’s termination (other objective circumstances, which justify termination of employment contract). According to the Public Broadcaster, cancelling Pirveli Studio and deeming it inadvisable to air a new program constitutes “other objective circumstances”, while the broadcaster has not legally justified the decision to cancel Pirveli Studia, while deeming it inadvisable to air a new program is based on unfounded and unconvincing justifications, which further deepens public suspicions about unhealthy interference in editorial policy of the Public Broadcaster.
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