Former Rustavi 2 Journalist Made RFE/RL Georgian Service Head

Former journalist of Georgia’s most pro-opposition TV channel Rustavi 2, and an employee of the Georgian Embassy in the United States, Natia Zambakhidze, has been put in charge of the Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Georgian Service in Prague. Zambakhidze will take the position from May 1, 2018.

The post became vacant after former head of RFE/RL Georgian Service, Davit Kakabadze, who had lead the service since 2005, was fired following an internal disagreement with the management team.

Netgazeti claims there were two candidates for the RFE/RL Georgian Service Head position. One was Zambakhidze and the other former correspondent of BBC and CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Coda Story Natalia Antelava. However, unlike Zambakhidze, Antelava did not confirm that she was participating in the contest.

"Natia Zambakhidze meets the professional requirements of Radio Liberty and we are looking forward to working with her," the RFE/RL said.

According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Natia Zambakhidze worked in the position of Senior Adviser at the Georgian Embassy in the US from 2006. Prior to working in the Embassy, she worked at Rustavi 2 TV. 

By Thea Morrison

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