Two Broadcasters Allege Political Motives Behind Levied Accounts
Two Georgian broadcasters, Radio Tbilisi and Trialeti TV, say their bank accounts have been levied by the authorities to collect long-standing tax debts, in what they allege is a politically motivated attempt by the Georgian Dream government to target critical media.
“I have no illusion this is a coincidence,” wrote Radio Tbilisi founder Ramaz Samkharadze on Facebook on June 25, linking the account freeze to his earlier daring GD MP Sozar Subari to summon him to the GD parliament to speak about the media issues under the current government.
Ramaz Samkharadze told Formula TV that the radio’s debts, amounting to “several thousand” GEL, are acknowledged but had never previously caused issues with the Revenue Service. He added that the radio is in the process of renewing its 10-year broadcasting license, and failure to make the upcoming payment could result in the Communications Commission, the state media regulator, denying the renewal.
On June 30, regional Trialeti TV reported that its bank account was also levied to enforce the collection of debts it says date back 10–15 years. The broadcaster, already in financial crisis, warned the move would prevent it from paying taxes or salaries, “ultimately leading to the shutdown of both its TV and radio services.”
Trialeti TV, which has operated since 1990 and says it once leaned toward Georgian Dream, laments being shut down by the same party that it “helped bring to power.” It links the move to its recent coverage of the appointment of Kote Buzaladze — whom the channel describes as a close associate of State Security Service chief Anri Okhanashvili — as acting Mayor of Gori, as well as to critical remarks made about GD officials, including GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and MP Tea Tsulukiani, on its talk shows. Trialeti claims the coverage led the SSSG to order the Shida Kartli regional authorities to stop appearing on the channel or giving interviews.
The broadcaster stated that, at the same time, its accounts were levied “for revenge, allegedly on Kobakhidze and Okhanashvili’s orders.”
“They are dismantling a station in which Bidzina Ivanishvili’s company owns a 10% stake, raising suspicions that the same company might soon acquire the remaining shares,” the broadcaster further noted.
The enforcement actions come amid a deepening financial crisis in Georgia’s media landscape. In February, the opposition-leaning Mtavari Arkhi was forced off the air due to financial difficulties.
The move also comes amid Georgian Dream’s broader legal crackdown on the media. Three major opposition-leaning broadcasters — Formula TV, TV Pirveli, and Mtavari TV, which is now off-air and operating only on social media — are currently awaiting the Communications Commission’s decision in cases filed by GD over their use of language that questions the ruling government’s legitimacy. The cases are based on recent legislative amendments to Georgia’s Law on Broadcasting, which expanded ComCom’s authority to dictate broadcasting standards and penalize for the content.
The amendments also introduced restrictions to funding sources for broadcasters, fuelling fears that financial hurdles will force more channels and radio stations off air.
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