In Adzharia, owners of TV-25 to discuss their debt with Ombudsman of Georgia

On December 26, in Batumi, journalists of the oppositional channel TV-25 will present documents to the Ombudsman of Georgia Georgiy Tugushi, on the basis of which they will try to write off their debt, which threatens to stop the channel. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about it by Merab Merkviladze, owner and director of the TV company.

Let us remind you that back during the rule in Adzharia of Aslan Abashidze, the independent regional company TV-25, who sharply criticized the leader, was fined with 277,000 laris. Now, the debt has grown up to approximately 600,000 laris (360,000 US dollars). The Ministry of Finance of Georgia demands paying the debt through selling the company's property at the auction.

"After 1992 we - three classmates and friends - decided to found an independent TV company. The Adzhari authorities always tried to blackmail us, as we stood in defence of the freedom of speech and often criticized them - both Shevardnadze and local ones headed by Aslan Abashidze. In February 2000, we were violently brought to the Ministry of State Security of Adzharia and forced to sign documents there, according to which 51 percent of the stock and the controlling stake passed over to Mikhail Gagoshidze, a citizen of Georgia and native of Batumi. He was a close guy to the then Minister of State Security Soso Gogitidze (Gogitidze was a cousin of Abashidze's wife, - comment of the "Caucasian Knot")," Mr Merkviladze tells the history of the TV-25.

That very Gagoshidze, according to the director of the channel, failed to pay taxes, which passed over to the present owners, when in September 2005 TV-25 was returned to Merkviladze. Thus, the company's debt appeared, according to the present owner, irrespective of them, and, therefore, is illegal.