Georgia Fines Russian TV with GEL 500,000

Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) fined with GEL 500,000 (about USD 297,000) on August 31 one of Russia’s largest TV networks, Channel One (formerly ORT), for unauthorized broadcasting in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The same TV channel was fined with GEL 50,000 (up to USD 30,000) last October for the same reason and the recent, increased fine was imposed for repeated unauthorized broadcasting in the breakaway regions.

GNCC imposed GEL 50,000 fine for the same reason on five other Russian television networks on August 27, including on NTV; REN TV; TV-Center; state-owned Russia TV (formerly RTR) and Kultura (part of Russia TV).

REN TV said that fine imposed on the TV station was “groundless” because its “signal is being re-broadcasting illegally” in Abkhazia and South Ossetia without the consent of REN TV itself.

“We will appreciate if [the Georgian communications] commission informs us about a company, which re-broadcasts our signal, so that to re-direct fine to that company,” the Russian media sources reported quoting REN TV’s statement.

NTV said that it would not pay any fine as it was acting under the Russian laws. NTV also said that under the Russian President’s decree Abkhazia and South Ossetia were recognized as independent states and “broadcasting on sovereign Abkhaz and South Ossetian territories is fully in line with the Russian legislature.”

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