GD Chair Calls Critical TV Anchors ‘Depraved’

Ruling Georgian Dream party Chair Irakli Kobakhidze on September 14 called Mtavari Arkhi TV Director and talk-show host Nika Garamia, and anchors of TV Pirveli Nodar Meladze, Diana Trapaidze and Inga Grigolia “depraved” people, with “anti-state and anti-Church aims.”

MP Kobakhidze accused the channels critical to the GD government of creating a “perception” of illegal surveillance in the country by covering the alleged leaked files of the Security Service.

He was responding to Gvaramia and Trapaidze, who earlier rebuffed a claim by ruling GD MP Mamuka Mdinaradze that the government-critical channels were trying to “lay the foundation” for additional covert recordings or “their fabrications,” allegedly to be released in the future by the UNM.

Nika Gvaramia called MP Mdinaradze’s accusation “ramblings,” while Trapaidze argued the Georgian Dream was “preparing an alibi” to release such recordings themselves.

Over 3,000 documents allegedly gathered through spying by State Security Service agents were published online, and sent to journalists on September 13. The files were largely focused on the Orthodox clergy, containing compromising information on allegations of pedophilia, past criminal activities, conversations with supposed foreign agents, narcotics use, and others.

Besides, the documents included details of conversations of Georgian journalists, opposition politicians as well as civil servants, including discussions related to the Church, and conversations with the clergy. Several journalists, as well as opposition politicians, have confirmed their conversations included in the files.

The leaked documents also included a separate section on LGBT rights organizations, civil society organizations and leaders.

Prosecutor’s Office is leading an investigation into the unauthorized recording of private conversations and unlawful dissemination of the information, but some, including Deputy Ombudsperson Giorgi Burjanadze, have voiced distrust in the probe.

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