Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Thousands protest in Georgia to back opposition TV station

TBILISI, Georgia — Thousands of Georgians have rallied in the capital in support of the country's opposition-minded television station that they suspect is about to be transferred to a more government-friendly owner.

Rustavi-2 is Georgia's most popular TV station and the Sunday demonstration on Tbilisi's main avenue attracted people from a wide political spectrum.

Some carried signs calling for the imprisonment of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of the ruling Georgian Dream coalition.

Rustavi-2 has changed hands in murky deals several times.

The current controversy stems from a case filed by a former owner, Kibar Khalvashi, who is seeking to regain control.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case soon. Station supporters claim the court is under government pressure to transfer it from the current owners.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy