GD MP Says MEPs Biased Over TV Chief

Nikoloz Samkharadze, Georgian Dream MP and Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee questioned the objectivity and knowledge of case details of MEPs who called Nika Gvaramia’s imprisonment ‘ungrounded.’

“I doubt the case [materials] are translated entirely into English and these gentlemen and ladies had enough time to read it. Consequently, these are all based on perceptions,” MP Samkharadze said.

“When certain politicians, the day after the verdict, announce that a biased decision was made, this is incomprehensible because they have not read the case,” he added.

MP Samkharadze stated that “these are all perception-based statements and to me biased statements because a perception-based statement can never be objective.”

Samkharadze also claimed that the “vast majority” of those lawmakers were open supporters of Georgian opposition parties. 

The critical statement was penned by MEPs Michael Gahler (EPP, Germany), Andrius Kubilius (EPP, Lithuania), Sven Mikser (S&D, Estonia), EP Rapporteur for Georgia, Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D, France), Anna Fotyga (ECR, Poland), Markéta Gregorová (Greens/EFA, Czech Republic), Viola von Cramon (Greens/EFA, Germany), and Petras Auštrevičius (RE, Lithuania).

Nika Gvaramia, founder and Director General of Mtavari Arkhi TV, a government-critical broadcaster, was sentenced to three and half years in prison on May 16 for charges related to abuse of power while he was managing Rustavi 2 TV. He denied charges as politically motivated.

Critical TV Boss Sent to Prison for 3.5 Years

The controversial ruling comes a few weeks ahead of the European Commission’s expected delivery of opinions on the membership application of Georgia to EU leaders at the June 24-25 summit.

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