Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze called the investigative journalists of “Studio Monitor” “liars” and “fraudsters.” He made this assessment in response to questions from a “TV Pirveli” journalist regarding a journalistic investigation published by “Studio Monitor.”
On July 16, “Studio Monitor” published an investigation concerning property deals related to the former “Sakartvelo” (Georgia) hotel building in the center of Tbilisi, the transfer of state property for 1 GEL, and the possible intersection of government-linked business interests in this process. The investigation discusses an amendment made to a government resolution, based on which 3,237.3 square meters of state-owned space was transferred to LLC “Sakartvelo 2030” for 1 GEL.
This is not the first time the Tbilisi Mayor has publicly attacked “Studio Monitor.” On June 1, during television debates on “Rustavi 2,” Kakha Kaladze referred to the investigative studio “Monitor” as a media outlet that “spreads lies,” and called one of the studio’s journalists “ignorant” and “uneducated.” Furthermore, it should be noted that Kakha Kaladze’s public statements directed at journalists have on numerous occasions contained insulting and obscene language. CMIS has documented similar cases multiple times.
