Burjanadze Meets Public TV Board
Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze met with board members of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), which is now in the process of selecting a new director general.
“One of the issues of our talks [with the opposition] is that maybe we will manage to agree, after consultations with you [the public TV board members], on a person [as the new head of the public TV], who will be acceptable for everyone and first of all, for the board of trustees, because this is your authority [to appoint a head of the public TV],” Burjanadze told the nine members of the board. “It is important that we select a person, who meets your standards and at the same time, who will meet the requirements of society.”
According to the law, the board of trustees should select a new director through a competition. The board has extended the deadline for the submission of applications for the position from March 15 to March 23. The board cited a lack of time for potential candidates to submit necessary papers behind its decision to extend the deadline. The absence of political consensus among the opposition and the authorities on who should become the new head of the public TV, however, seems to be the real reason behind the decision.
The opposition claims that it nominated a candidate, but it was rejected by the authorities, who, they say, have themselves failed to put forward a name for the position. It was reported earlier that the opposition was in favor of Ia Antadze, a journalist and political commentator, who has applied for the job.
New director general should be appointed by April 4.