Russian, Ukrainian Media on Dismissal of Rustavi 2 Journalists

There have been some major shifts in the team of one of the major Georgian TV channels, Rustavi 2.

On August 20, Paata Salia, new Director General of the company, fired Nodar Meladze, Head of the channel's News Department, along with TV anchors Giorgi Gabunia, Eka Kvesitadze, Nanuka Zhorzholiani and the Secretary of the Director General Giorgi Laperashvili, naming a ‘conflict of interests’ as the major reason for the decision. 

A number of other journalists expressed solidarity to their dismissed colleagues and announced their own withdrawal from the Rustavi 2 team, thus suspending the live streaming of the news program at 21:00.

Various Russian and Ukrainian media platforms have reported on the case, strongly accentuating the dismissal of Giorgi Gabunia, who approximately a month ago commenced his show with an offensive statement addressed to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

“Georgian journalist Giorgi Gabunia, who publicly offended the President of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been fired from the TV Cannel Rustavi 2,” reads the article of 'Gordon.'

It has also been noted that Salia might sue the former employees of the company for the financial damage of Rustavi 2.

By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya