Police Probed Iberia TV

The law enforcement agencies searched this morning opposition Iberia television, which is owned by the Omega firm, which as claimed by the General Prosecutor’s Office is allegedly involved in a large-scale illegal cigarette import.

According to the officials of the General Prosecutor’s Office the law enforcers were looking for smuggled cigarettes in the office of Iberia television. However, nothing illegal has been found in the office.

The probe of the Iberia TV caused protest of the opposition parties and parliamentarians, which gathered outside the Iberia TV’s office in Tbilisi, saying that it was the government’s attempt to mount pressures on independent media.

The police also searched the offices of the news agency Media News and newspaper Akhali Epoka (New Epoch), which are also owned by the Omega Group.

In the morning of February 19, the police together with the employees of the General Prosecutor’s Office launched to probe the offices of the Omega firm, which is allegedly one of the financial sources for the Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze’s party Revival.

Of February 18 the General Prosecutor’s Office also launched to probe accounts of the Adjarian capital Batumi-based Naval Bank, which is suspected of illegal transactions and money laundering.

According to the officials of General Prosecutor’s Office “some high-level officials of the Adjarian authorities were involved in these illegal transactions.”