Revival, Labor, Industrialists Blame Rustavi 2 TV, Exit Polls for Tensions

The leaders of the Industrialists, Revival Union and Labor parties at a joint briefing today accused the independent Rustavi 2 broadcasting company of “triggering confrontation in the country” and called for “boycotting the company.” 

“The Rustavi-2 TV company aims at aggravating the situation in the country. From today we launch a wide-scale agitation campaign among the population and call on them to boycott this TV channel,” Tsotne Bakuria of the pro-governmental Revival Union said at a news briefing on November 10.

Gogi Topadze, leader of the Industrialists party said “the protest rallies, which currently takes place in Tbilisi, is a result of the exit polls” commissioned by the Rustavi 2 and conducted by the U.S. polling firm Global Strategy Group.

According to the official results of the November 2 parliamentary elections the President Shevardnadze’s party For New Georgia and the Revival Union, led by Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze lead the polls.

The results contrast with exit polls and parallel vote tabulation results showing popular support for the opposition parties.

The Rustavi 2 TV channel has been a target of government’s criticism for a long time. In 2001 the authorities’ intention to silence the independent TV channel led to mass protest rallies, causing resignation of entire government.