Future of Adzharian TV Company "TV-25" will be decided before the end of year

The Adzharian independent TV Channel "TV-25", the broadcasting of which is under threat of stopping for the latest three years, is now defended by all the journalists of Georgia, oppositional political forces and foreign partners. The authorities want to stop the channel for its debts and now negotiate with the owners on how to eliminate the problem.

"Back from the time, when Aslan Abashidze ruled in Adzharia, the TV Company, which was sharply criticizing Abashidze's policy, happened to get into debts of 277,000 laris (about 170,000 US dollars). Three years ago, the Ministry of Finance, in demand of paying the old debts, imposed collection on the Company's accounts. Within these three years, the debts, with all the penalties, has reached 600,000 laris (320,000 US dollars)," Merab Markviladze, executive director and co-owner of "TV-25", told the "Caucasian Knot".

The authorities wanted to put the Company's property to the auction, sell it and cover the debts, but Georgian media people and oppositional political forces got into play, published the Memorandum "Let's Save the Independent TV Company", and changed the situation.

"The Ministry of Finance has lifted the arrest of our accounts and now offers to re-structure the debts; however, it's absolutely unacceptable for us. We didn't recognize the old debt, as the fines were illegally imposed on us by Abashidze; moreover, we wouldn't recognize the fines imposed because of these debts," said Mr Merkviladze.