Imedi, Rustavi 2 Reports Clash on Ex-Spy Death

The case of the death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London and its coverage led to an exchange of barbs between leading Georgian television stations Rustavi 2 and Imedi, the two major competitors in Georgian TV.

Initially, when the news broke about the ex-spy case, Imedi TV avoided covering the story, while Rustavi 2 TV was reporting the case almost daily with making a focus on links between Andrei Lugovoy, an ex-spy that Litvinenko met in London before he fell ill, and Badri Patarkatsishvili, an influential tycoon who is co-owner of Imedi TV.

Rustavi 2 TV reported in its recent primetime news programs that Lugovoy has recently visited Georgia several times through the invitation of Badri Patarkatsishvili?s Tbilisi-based charitable foundation. The station said that Lugovoy could have been linked to the poisoning of the ex-Russian spy. Rustavi 2 TV, which said that officials from Patarkatsishvili?s charitable foundation were not available for comments, described Lugovoy as a person in charge of Patarkatsishvili?s security during his foreign trips.

On November 24, a journalist who was covering the story for Rustavi 2 said in his report that two major versions ?are currently under consideration of the western media: one alleging that the Kremlin could have been behind the poisoning and another saying that some friends of Litvinenko could have done it, including Boris Berezovsky,? who lives in exile in London and was Patarkatsishvili?s long-time business partner. The TV report also said that Lugovoy, now a businessman, was the Russian ORT TV?s security service chief at the time when the station was controlled by Patarkatsishvili and Berezovsky.  

Speaking with Echo Moskvy radio station on November 24 Lugovoy, who has strongly denied any involvement in the poisoning, said that he was in Tbilisi last week and added that Badri Patarkatsishvili is his ?long-time partner; that?s all.?

On November 24, Imedi TV?s primetime news program provided extensive coverage of circumstances surrounding Litvinenko?s death, saying that attempts ?by some media sources? to link Litvinenko?s case with Patarkatsishvili was ?non-professionalism.?

?It is very bad, very bad to try to engage this charitable organization in some kind of political game,? Paata Chakhnashvili, chief of Patarkatsishvili?s charitable organization, told Imedi TV.

Imedi TV also said that Lugovoy ?has nothing to do? with Patarkatsishvili?s security service.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)