Thursday.Issue Two. September 26,1996.

D O C U M E N T

                STATEMENT OF THE GEORGIAN MASS MEDIA

   Pressure on Georgia's independent mass media increases. Speculations
es- calated that the pressure is being exerted on purpose. 
   "To cease the anti-democratic demarche" - with these words the Indepen-
dent Press appealed to the country's President when the Rustavi-2 TV chan-
nel was unlawfully deprived of the right to broadcast its programmes. 
Offi- cials were assuring us that it was a misunderstanding and not a
deliberate policy. 
   But on September 25, 1996 the main state newspaper "Sakartvelos Respub-
lika"  (Republic of Georgia) published an article by Temur Mirianasvili
en- titled "In the dark of "Seven Days"" which proves quite the opposite. 
This article is not different from the denunciations of 30s which aimed
not to find the truth but to carry out reprisals. 
   This article drives to conclusion that there are people wishing to
disc- redit the independent mass media and to stop the democratization
process.  It is remarkable that all this happens before the adoption of
the Law on the Press. Mirianashvili's article may synonimously be regarded
as provoca- tion aimed to create an atmosphere of lies, rivalry among the
mass media intending to take part in the adoption of the Law on the Press. 
   We, colleagues, are calling on 'The Seven Days'(newspaper) not to get
involved in this dirty game despite all the insults. 
   We call on all citizens, including the persons responsible, not to per-
mit the development of political reaction in the country. 

   TV company "Rustavi-2", TV network "TNG", newspapers "Resonanse", "Dro-
ni", "Alia", "Akhali Taoba", "Kavkasioni", agencies "BGI", "Iberia". 
"BS-Press", "Iprinda","Caucas-Press", radio "Mtsvane Talga". 

   September 26,1996.
                              **  **  **  **

Previus - Next - Index

Back to Sakartvelo