The Case of Rustavi-2 TV: Escalation of the Conflict between Government and Opposition in Georgia
The Case of Rustavi-2 TV: Escalation of the Conflict between Government and Opposition in Georgia

Author(s): Konrad Zasztowt
Subject(s): Politics, Governance, Public Administration, Public Law, Geopolitics
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: Georgia; Caucasus; domestic policy; elections; mass media; parliamentary elections
Summary/Abstract: A series of court judgments relating to the ownership of private television station Rustavi-2 has led to an escalation of the conflict between the government and opposition in Georgia. For the opposition United National Movement (UNM), the rulings may mean restrictions on its freedom to present its views in media before parliamentary elections scheduled for the second half of 2016. On the other hand, by influencing the courts and media, the governing Georgian Dream is making the same mistakes that led to UNM’s loss of power. Without interfering in the dispute between the government and opposition, the EU should exert pressure on the authorities in Tbilisi to accelerate the reform of judiciary.

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