The Media Advocacy Coalition, a group of over ten watchdog and media organizations, have addressed international organizations over “alarming” processes developing at Adjara TV and Radio company based in Georgia’s coastal city of Batumi, noting that the current situation “involves the risks of violation of both media freedom and human rights.”

“Since April 2019, the doubts about attempted disruption of the channel’s independent editorial policy are being intensified on a daily basis. today, there is a real threat that a newly appointed board of advisers and the management appointed by it will change the staffing policy and distance a part of employees from the editorial policy,” the statement released by the coalition on February 14 reads.

The Coalition’s member organizations claim that they will again defend the idea of public broadcaster within their competence. They ask international partner organizations for help in ensuring their freedom of expression.
Later on the same day, two local watchdogs, Transparency International Georgia and Georgian Young Lawyers Association released separate statements regarding the developments at Adjara TV. They expressed solidarity to Adjara TV’s staff and expressed their commitment to defending their interests once they need it.
Prior to the NGO statements, Teona Bakuridze, anchor of Adjara TV’s main news program, posted on her Facebook page on February 14 that Adjara TV’s Board of Advisers and the Director were involved “in persecuting undesirable people.”

Teona Bakuridze said that disciplinary procedures have been launched against Shorena Glonti, head of newsroom. She also noted that the positions of deputies, including the position of deputy head of newsroom, who simultaneously is editor of news program, will be abolished.
“The Director does not fulfill the priority regarding investigative journalism. He does not do outsourcing of the priority program, claiming that it can be prepared within the TV channel, but it is obscure what particular resources he will use for this purpose. He cites the election year as the reason, as well as the risk that the United National Movement [Georgia’s former ruling party in 2004-2012 – editorial note] might win the competition,” the anchor writes.